Officers of the Internal Security Agency (ABW) have determined that two arson attacks which occurred in Poland in 2024 were carried out by a 27-year-old Colombian national acting on behalf of Russian intelligence, according to a statement posted on social media by the spokesperson for the Minister-Coordinator of Special Services, Jacek Dobrzyński.
Dobrzyński reported via social media that ABW officers identified the Colombian man as the perpetrator of the arson attacks targeting construction depots, which took place on May 23, 2024, in Warsaw and on May 30, 2024, in Radom.
In its statement, the Internal Security Agency emphasized that the arson attacks “were commissioned, supervised, and financed by an individual linked to the Russian special services.”
“The suspect received detailed instructions from his handler regarding the target of the attack and the method of execution, including how to prepare a Molotov cocktail and what means of transport to use. The modus operandi uncovered by the ABW aligns with similar incidents identified in multiple countries across Central and Eastern Europe. It has been confirmed that Russian intelligence services have been systematically recruiting, on a large scale and via the Telegram messaging app, individuals of Latin American origin with military backgrounds. These individuals were instructed to conduct reconnaissance of designated locations, set fire to selected targets, and document the resulting damage. The photos and videos were subsequently used by Russian-language media for disinformation and propaganda purposes. The Russian special services’ recruitment of South American citizens arriving in EU countries under visa-free travel regimes was motivated purely by the promise of quick and easy financial gain.”
– the Agency stated.
In June 2025, a Czech court sentenced the Colombian national to eight years in prison for setting fire to a bus depot in Prague and attempting to set fire to a shopping mall. Russian intelligence services were reportedly involved in the case.
“The Colombian suspect has been charged with committing an act of a terrorist nature. He faces a prison sentence of between 10 years and life imprisonment. The investigation is being conducted by the ABW branch in Radom under the supervision of the Lublin Division of the National Public Prosecutor’s Office.” – added the spokesperson for the Minister-Coordinator of Special Services.