Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) has detained a 23-year-old Polish man in Zielona Góra on suspicion of aiding the deliberate arson of a production hall in Pardubice, the Czech Republic, a spokesman for the minister coordinating special services has said.
"Officers of the Internal Security Agency detained in Zielona Góra another 23-year-old Pole, who is accused of assisting in the intentional arson of a production hall in Pardubice, Czech Republic", spokesman Jacek Dobrzyński said in a post on X.
Dobrzyński said the District Court for Warsaw ordered the man held in pretrial detention for three months. "The case is developing", he added.
The fire broke out on March 20 at a production hall belonging to LPP Holding, a defense-sector company in Pardubice that cooperates with Israel's Elbit Systems on drone production, according to the statement.
Earlier this month, ABW said authorities in Warsaw had detained two other Polish citizens, 23-year-old Aleksandra Z. and 22-year-old Filip B., who were also accused of assisting in the same arson attack.
Poland's National Prosecutor's Office said prosecutors charged the suspects with helping cause the fire, adding that "the act had a terrorist character and was aimed at intimidating many people and forcing the authorities of the Czech Republic to refrain from specific actions".
The offense carries a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
Prosecutors said the earlier suspects denied the allegations and gave statements. They were also placed in pretrial detention for three months.
The investigation is being conducted in cooperation with Czech prosecutors and has been entrusted to ABW. Prosecutors are also examining whether the acts were carried out on behalf of, or at the request of, a foreign intelligence service.
A previously unknown pro-Palestinian activist group called "The Earthquake Faction" claimed responsibility for the March 20 attack, citing ideological motives and a desire to influence states and companies working with Israel's arms industry.
"On March 20th 2026, we struck the epicenter of the Israeli weapons industry in Europe. In Pardubice, Czech Republic, Elbit Systems’ 'Centre of Excellence' was newly built in collaboration with LPP, to service the global expansion of Israel’s biggest weapons producer", the group wrote in a statement.
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Source: PAP, Reuters, AA