Warsaw lawyer Maciej Z. arrested for false bomb threats targeting Poland's president and foreign minister

The arrest of a prominent lawyer

Polish authorities have arrested Maciej Z., a well-known 48-year-old Warsaw lawyer, in connection with a series of false alarms about planned assassinations targeting the country's top officials. The operation was carried out by officers from the Warsaw Metropolitan Police's Department for Combating Criminal Terror and Homicide, in cooperation with the Warsaw-Śródmieście District Prosecutor's Office, and involved the BOA Central Counter-Terrorism Subdivision. The arrest was confirmed on Sunday morning by the Minister of Interior and Administration, Marcin Kierwiński.

Another person detained in connection with false alarms and impersonating others. This time in a different case than the recent ones. He is a well-known Warsaw lawyer.

The suspect's methods

According to police statements, the suspect impersonated various individuals, including people who had previously held high public office, and sent notifications to numerous public institutions and bodies about alleged preparations for attacks. The content of the notifications indicated that the intended victims were to be the President of the Republic of Poland and the Minister of Foreign Affairs. To lend credibility to his claims, he attached illegally possessed documents to the letters and, in one case, included ammunition.

Posing as various people, he sent correspondence with information about an attack on life and health. The topic also concerned well-known people in the state, including the President of Poland and the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Evidence seized

During a forced entry into a Warsaw apartment, officers discovered laptops, USB drives, memory cards, mobile phones, service badges, and various types of weapons and ammunition. Police also found driving licenses, identity cards, and residence permits belonging to other people. In the 48-year-old's vehicle, officers uncovered ammunition and 10 artillery shells. Unofficial reports also mention the discovery of a collection of bladed weapons and materials containing fascist symbolism at the suspect's residence.

Charges and detention

The Warsaw Metropolitan Police announced that the 48-year-old has been charged with seven offenses. He is suspected of, among other things, impersonating people who previously held high public office and sending false notifications about preparations for an attack on the president and the foreign minister. He is also suspected of concealing documents belonging to others and illegal possession of weapons and ammunition. The suspect faces up to eight years in prison. At the request of the prosecutor's office, the court decided to impose a three-month pre-trial detention, citing the risk of evidence tampering and the high penalty the lawyer faces.

Broader context of false alarms

The arrest is part of a wider investigation into a wave of false alarms that have plagued Poland. The Ministry of Interior and Administration previously reported that between May 10 and 15, officers responded 12 times to reports concerning, among other things, the planting of explosive devices and threats to life and health. These reports targeted locations associated with right-wing media and their employees, and even the home of President Karol Nawrocki's mother in Gdańsk. A day before the lawyer's arrest, Minister Kierwiński announced that a total of five people had been detained in connection with the false alarms, three of whom had already been placed in pre-trial detention. A special police group, including officers from the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime and the Central Police Investigation Bureau, has been established to analyze the escalating incidents.