Polish terrorist suspect charged
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
16.11.2015 15:52
A 23-year-old Polish man who allegedly fought with Islamic militants in Syria was charged on Monday in Łódz, central Poland.
Officers from Poland's Internal Security Agency (ABW) bring a suspect accused of fighting for jihadists in Syria to the Prosecutor's Office in Łódż, 16 November. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Michałowski
The suspect was brought to the Prosecutor's Office in Łódż on Monday morning, having been deported from Norway, where he was arrested in September.
According to Poland's Radio ZET, the first outlet to report the story, the man was charged with “participating in an organized criminal group that was armed, and which aimed to carry out terrorist crimes.”
It has been reported that the man was active in Syria in 2014 and 2015, but was not fighting for IS, but another formation of Islamic fundamentalists.
The 23-year-old is pleading not guilty, and he has apparently declined to make a statement to Polish authorities.
Prosecutors have until Tuesday to apply for the suspect to remain in custody in the lead-up to the defendant's trial. These are typically divided into three-month periods. (nh/rk)