Poland charges 3 men suspected of planning terrorist acts

WARSAW

Poland’s Interior Ministry said Thursday it charged three 19-year-old men suspected of planning terrorist actions, including an attack on a school inspired by Norwegian Anders Breivik and an attack in New Zealand.

"It appears they were fascinated by the ideology that spreads terrorism, by these serial killers who, as in the case of Norway, killed several dozen people," ministry spokesman Jacek Dobrzynski told reporters. "They apparently sought to do something similar here in our country."

Dobrzynski did not comment on local media reports that the suspects had been planning to attack a school in the northern city of Olsztyn.

The Olsztyn district prosecutor's office said the three young people had been training in the use of firearms and explosives, shooting postures and combat operations and had attended shooting ranges. They were thought to be planning an attack on a secondary school.

“The investigation is being conducted in the direction of planning an attack of a terrorist nature,” said Daniel Brodowski, spokesman for the district prosecutor's office in Olsztyn.

The Internal Security Agency and the prosecutor's office had been conducting a detailed investigation into the case for several months.

Onet, a Polish news agency, said unofficial information indicated that the men did not belong to any terrorist organization. “They were simply fascinated by the ideology of violence,” a source told the service.

The acts are punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years.