Wave of swatting attacks hits Polish politicians and media figures; two suspects face arrest
A coordinated series of false emergency calls has targeted the homes of Poland's president's mother, opposition leader Jarosław Kaczyński, and several conservative journalists, triggering forced entries by police and firefighters.
The Gdańsk incident
On Saturday evening, emergency services forced entry into a Gdańsk apartment belonging to Elżbieta Nawrocka, the mother of President Karol Nawrocki. The intervention followed anonymous reports of a fire and a threat to life. Firefighters and police entered the premises, but found the apartment empty. The incident was the culmination of a broader wave of false alarms.
We are crossing the boundaries of absurdity. This is the apartment of President Karol Nawrocki's mother.
A wider pattern of swatting
Earlier, similar hoax calls targeted the Warsaw property of Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the Law and Justice party, over a supposed explosive device. The home of Tomasz Sakiewicz, head of Telewizja Republika, and the apartment of historian Sławomir Cenckiewicz were also hit. The Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime is now analysing 18 such cases nationwide, with investigators tracing encrypted connections and foreign servers.
If the report concerns a threat to life, there is often no time for thorough verification.
Legal and political fallout
The Warsaw-Praga District Prosecutor's Office has submitted two requests for pre-trial detention. The District Court for Warszawa-Praga Północ has already granted one arrest warrant; a second is pending. Two individuals have been detained. Meanwhile, Law and Justice politicians and presidential officials are demanding the resignation of Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński, accusing the government of failing to protect the president's family.
This type of practice, these false alarms, is most often an organised action — in the sense that many people are behind it.
Ownership and protection questions
A review of the land register shows that Elżbieta Nawrocka is the sole owner of the Gdańsk apartment. President Nawrocki had previously listed a 50 percent share in his asset declaration while heading the Institute of National Remembrance, but his campaign staff explained this as a legal interpretation based on a will. The apartment was not registered with the State Protection Service as a location requiring special security.
If the president or his officials had reported that such protection was needed, the State Protection Service would certainly have taken such actions.
The investigation's technical trail
The perpetrator used the Alarm 112 application to send the false report via SMS. The phone number has been identified. Investigators suspect the use of onion routing via the TOR network to mask the sender's IP address and location.
We know who the number is registered to. We are determining where this person is and what connection they have to this incident.
- Start of 12 police interventions linked to false bomb and health threats between 10 and 15 May, according to the Interior Ministry.
- Interior Ministry confirms 12 interventions related to false reports of explosive devices or threats to life and health.
- False alarm at the Warsaw property of Jarosław Kaczyński over a supposed explosive device; incident publicised by PiS spokesman Rafał Bochenek.
- Emergency services force entry into the Gdańsk apartment of Elżbieta Nawrocka, mother of President Karol Nawrocki, after a hoax call.
- Prime Minister Donald Tusk convenes an emergency government briefing and orders a review of all procedures.
- Gdańsk District Prosecutor's Office opens an investigation; two detention requests filed in Warsaw, one granted.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk convened an emergency briefing with ministers and service heads on Sunday, calling the incident a provocation of an "exceptionally nasty character" and ordering a review of all procedures.
