Two men held in custody in connection with "radio-stop" rail incidents
A court in Bialystok, on Tuesday, granted a request from the prosecutor and agreed to hold two men for three months for the broadcasting of unauthorised "radio-stop signals" and halting trains in north-western Poland.
On Sunday morning in the Podlaskie region, north-western Poland, trains were stopped due to the unauthorised use of "radio-stop" signals.
A few hours later two men aged 24 and 29 were arrested by police. Ham radio equipment was discovered in the home of one of the detained men.
The press office of the District Court in the city of Bialystok, north-western Poland, told PAP on Tuesday that the evidence collected indicates that the suspects were responsible for the acts.
The two men, through the unauthorised use of the "radio-stop" signal, created situations which led to the belief that a threat to a large-scale loss of life was imminent, hence triggering responsive actions by the authorities to avert any possible danger. Such acts are punishable by six months to eight years in prison.
On Monday evening police confirmed that the 29-year-old suspect is an officer of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Bialystok, employed in the department of operational techniques.
In connection with the criminal charges brought against this man, the provincial police chief in Bialystok instituted disciplinary proceedings and issued a decision to suspend the officer with immediate effect. A dismissal procedure has also been initiated.
The press team of the Podlasie Police issued a short statement on Tuesday afternoon, denying the information that appeared in some media that employees of PKP PLK SA (the Polish railway infrastructure management, responsible for the maintenance of rail tracks - PAP) "contributed" to the detention of the suspects and that the detained policeman was broadcasting the signal using official equipment.
