Poland thwarts terrorist attack by Islamist supporter

Concrete barriers for the protection of the Christmas market in Krakow. Photo: Notes from Poland

On December 16, 2025, a spokesperson for Poland’s security services reported that a suspected terrorist attack planned for a Christmas market had been prevented, Notes from Poland reports.

The 19-year-old suspect, Mateusz V., is a Polish citizen from a devout Catholic family. Prior to the investigation, he was studying at the Catholic University of Lublin. According to a representative of the security services, the suspect had “become deeply involved in Islam” and was “planning to join a terrorist organization in order to receive assistance in carrying out an attack.”

The prosecutor’s office confirmed that Mateusz V. had contacts with representatives of the Islamic State.

“His objective was to kill and intimidate people, as well as to support the Islamic State,” the security services spokesperson said.

A representative of the law enforcement agencies also addressed parents with a warning: “If you see that your children are becoming interested in Islam, communism, or fascism and are collecting various information or items related to these ideologies, this is the first sign. Take care of your children, because from there it will only get worse.”

Earlier, the UOJ reported that police in Bavaria had foiled an Islamist attack on a Christmas market.

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