Warsaw police detain 15-year-old over searches on shopping mall attack and killing officer

Cyber monitoring and identification

Warsaw police detained a 15-year-old Ukrainian citizen after internal monitoring units detected online activity concerning plans for violent acts. Investigators found search queries regarding the methods for carrying out a terrorist attack inside a shopping centre and the logistics of killing a police officer. The discovery originated from systematic cyber surveillance maintained by police services rather than through alerts from educational institutions, family members, or third-party witnesses.

Officers from the Social Prevention, Juvenile and Pathology Department of the Warsaw V District Police Headquarters initiated procedural steps in coordination with counter-terror specialists. The Warsaw Metropolitan Police Department for Combating Acts of Terror and Homicide worked to identify the individual behind the online searches and pinpointed his residence in the capital. Podinsp. Elwira Kozłowska, the press officer for the Warsaw V District Police Headquarters, described the protocol followed by digital monitoring teams.

We came across this activity ourselves, the police simply monitor such content on the internet, and specialized units within the police take appropriate actions.

Evidence gathering and device analysis

Upon locating the suspect, law enforcement officers conducted a search of the teenager's residence and confiscated his electronic devices. Investigators seized a laptop computer and a mobile telephone to inspect stored files, communication records, and web history. The equipment was forwarded to the Forensic Laboratory of the Warsaw Metropolitan Police, where digital forensics specialists began evaluating the collected data for evidence related to the preparation of a prohibited act.

Police confirmed that the 15-year-old had not acquired any physical materials, tools, or weapons required to execute an assault. Furthermore, investigators determined that the teenager had not designated an individual target, as his queries concerning the death of an officer remained broad and non-specific. Kozłowska addressed inquiries regarding the physical state of the suspect's preparations.

No, absolutely not. Information emerged that he searched for something on the internet, and that is basically all of it. No physical things.

Court proceedings and youth centre placement

Following the initial investigation, the case was transferred to the Family and Juvenile Division of the District Court for Warsaw-Żoliborz. The teenager faces allegations of preparation for murder based on his online research. Due to his age, the juvenile justice system oversees the legal proceedings and determines the custodial measures applied during the inquiry.

The district court ordered that the teenager be isolated from the community and assigned him to a Youth Educational Centre for an initial period of three months. Sąd Rejonowy dla Warszawy-Żoliborza will decide on additional legal steps once forensic experts complete their assessment of the confiscated hardware.