Polish chemist convicted of planning parliament attack

WARSAW, Poland (AP) – A chemist was convicted of a bomb plot against Poland’s parliament and other government buildings, and he was sentenced to 13 years in prison on Monday.

Brunon Kwiecien, an agricultural university teacher in Krakow, was arrested in 2012 in a much publicized case in which prosecutors said a “terrorist” attack was foiled. The case involved undercover security officers pretending to want involvement in Kwiecien’s plot.

On Monday, a court in the southern city of Krakow found Kwiecien guilty of preparing an attack on parliament, of trying to encourage two students to carry out an attack and of illegal weapons possession.

The court said Kwiecien was also preparing bombings against the president, the prime minister, Warsaw’s mayor and a journalist. It said Kwiecien acted intentionally and wasn’t inspired by anyone.

“Had Brunon Kwiecien not been stopped, we would have been talking on the ashes of the state today,” Judge Aleksandra Almert said when explaining the court’s decision.

Kwiecien, who can appeal the verdict, had pleaded not guilty and said he was coerced by the security officers.