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| Poland foils nationalist bomb plot against president and prime minister | Poland foils nationalist bomb plot against president and prime minister |
| (8 days later) | |
| A Polish university researcher has been arrested on suspicion of planning to detonate a four-tonne bomb in front of the parliament building in Warsaw while the president, prime minister and other politicians were inside, authorities said. | A Polish university researcher has been arrested on suspicion of planning to detonate a four-tonne bomb in front of the parliament building in Warsaw while the president, prime minister and other politicians were inside, authorities said. |
| The prime minister, Donald Tusk, said the plot was discovered as investigators looked into Polish links to the Norwegian mass murderer, Anders Behring Breivik. Polish security officials have said Breivik bought small amounts of material for his bomb-making in Poland. | The prime minister, Donald Tusk, said the plot was discovered as investigators looked into Polish links to the Norwegian mass murderer, Anders Behring Breivik. Polish security officials have said Breivik bought small amounts of material for his bomb-making in Poland. |
| The far-right movement in Poland appears to be growing, and tensions are simmering between Tusk's centre-right government and its main rival, the conservative Law and Justice party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski. | The far-right movement in Poland appears to be growing, and tensions are simmering between Tusk's centre-right government and its main rival, the conservative Law and Justice party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski. |
| Kaczynski recently accused Tusk and other leaders of "murder" in the 2010 plane crash that killed his brother, President Lech Kaczynski, and 95 others. A state investigation found the tragedy was an accident caused by bad weather and human error, but Kaczynski has claimed it was an assassination. | Kaczynski recently accused Tusk and other leaders of "murder" in the 2010 plane crash that killed his brother, President Lech Kaczynski, and 95 others. A state investigation found the tragedy was an accident caused by bad weather and human error, but Kaczynski has claimed it was an assassination. |
| Tusk said the plan to kill Poland's leaders showed it was "high time to abandon a language of violence and hatred in public debate". | Tusk said the plan to kill Poland's leaders showed it was "high time to abandon a language of violence and hatred in public debate". |
| Prosecutors said they arrested the 45-year-old suspect in Krakow on 9 November. He is a Polish researcher employed at the University of Agriculture in Krakow, who had access to chemistry laboratories. They said he was in illegal possession of explosive materials, munitions and guns. | Prosecutors said they arrested the 45-year-old suspect in Krakow on 9 November. He is a Polish researcher employed at the University of Agriculture in Krakow, who had access to chemistry laboratories. They said he was in illegal possession of explosive materials, munitions and guns. |
| They said the suspect was motivated by nationalistic, xenophobic and antisemitic ideas, but he did not formally belong to any political group. He had refused psychiatric testing, prosecutors added. | They said the suspect was motivated by nationalistic, xenophobic and antisemitic ideas, but he did not formally belong to any political group. He had refused psychiatric testing, prosecutors added. |
| The man, who was not identified by name, was building bombs himself and had detonators, said the prosecutor Mariusz Krason. The suspect is wanted to attack parliament when the leaders and legislators were there, but had not set a specific date, Krason said. | The man, who was not identified by name, was building bombs himself and had detonators, said the prosecutor Mariusz Krason. The suspect is wanted to attack parliament when the leaders and legislators were there, but had not set a specific date, Krason said. |
| "He believed that the current social and political situation in our country is moving in the wrong direction" and that those in positions of power are "foreign", Krason said. "In his opinion they are not true Poles." | "He believed that the current social and political situation in our country is moving in the wrong direction" and that those in positions of power are "foreign", Krason said. "In his opinion they are not true Poles." |
| The prosecutor did not explain further, but extreme antisemitic thinking holds that Jews are not true Poles and that they secretly control power in Poland. In truth, Poland's Jewish community is tiny – several thousand in a country of 38 million – and very few Jews hold political positions in the country. | The prosecutor did not explain further, but extreme antisemitic thinking holds that Jews are not true Poles and that they secretly control power in Poland. In truth, Poland's Jewish community is tiny – several thousand in a country of 38 million – and very few Jews hold political positions in the country. |
| The rector at the suspect's university, Wlodzimierz Sady, said the man was a chemist who taught courses and carried out research. He had not raised any suspicion before his arrest, Sady said. "This is serious, we are all in shock," he said. | The rector at the suspect's university, Wlodzimierz Sady, said the man was a chemist who taught courses and carried out research. He had not raised any suspicion before his arrest, Sady said. "This is serious, we are all in shock," he said. |
| Authorities said the man intended to put four tonnes of explosives in a car and detonate them outside the parliament building in the heart of the capital while Tusk, President Bronislaw Komorowski and cabinet ministers were inside, along with the members of the 460-seat lower chamber. | Authorities said the man intended to put four tonnes of explosives in a car and detonate them outside the parliament building in the heart of the capital while Tusk, President Bronislaw Komorowski and cabinet ministers were inside, along with the members of the 460-seat lower chamber. |
| "The threat of an attack was real," said Artur Wrona, a prosecutor who was among several officials who gave the details of the thwarted terror attack at a news conference in Warsaw. | "The threat of an attack was real," said Artur Wrona, a prosecutor who was among several officials who gave the details of the thwarted terror attack at a news conference in Warsaw. |
| Krason said the man had confessed in part to the suspicions against him, including planning an assassination of the state leaders. If he is convicted he could be jailed for five years. | Krason said the man had confessed in part to the suspicions against him, including planning an assassination of the state leaders. If he is convicted he could be jailed for five years. |
| Two people working with him were arrested for the illegal possession of weapons, and two others have been questioned. | Two people working with him were arrested for the illegal possession of weapons, and two others have been questioned. |
| The investigation and arrests are being led by the Internal Security Agency, which published film footage of test explosions in a rural area made by the suspect and found among his possessions. | The investigation and arrests are being led by the Internal Security Agency, which published film footage of test explosions in a rural area made by the suspect and found among his possessions. |
| Both the president and the prime minister were informed of the assassination plan and the investigation before the news was released to the public, said Joanna Trzaska-Wieczorek, a spokeswoman for the president. | Both the president and the prime minister were informed of the assassination plan and the investigation before the news was released to the public, said Joanna Trzaska-Wieczorek, a spokeswoman for the president. |
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