Two men suspected of terrorism over Starlink arson attempts

Lithuanian authorities have identified two men suspected of trying to set fire to Starlink communications equipment in Vilnius and Bulgaria, and of involvement in a terrorist group linked to a similar incident in Poland, LRT reported. The men are being held in Germany, and investigators suspect possible links to Russia.

The attempted arson took place on the night of October 18 at a company in the Aukštieji Paneriai district of Vilnius. A fire broke out but was quickly put out by a security guard, and the equipment continued to operate. The company’s work was not disrupted, and it had been warned of potential threats.

The suspects are foreign nationals in their twenties who live in Germany. One holds Turkish and German citizenship, and the other Serbian and German citizenship. Police said they had no known connections to Lithuania and arrived shortly before the incident.

On October 27, the men were formally named as suspects in Lithuania. The allegations include forming and participating in an organised terrorist group, travelling for terrorist purposes and committing a terrorist act that could have had serious consequences. Prosecutors said the offences are serious or very serious; forming or participating in a terrorist group carries a potential prison sentence of five to 15 years.

Lithuanian officials said they see direct links between the suspects and incidents involving Starlink equipment in Lithuania and Bulgaria. They said different people carried out the incident in Poland, but those individuals were connected to the same group. At least four people have been detained in a neighbouring country. A decision on whether to seek the two suspects’ extradition to Lithuania will be considered at a later stage.

Investigators say the suspected motive appears to be hybrid attacks intended to disrupt Starlink’s operation in Europe. They said disruption in one region could also affect the system in Ukraine. The investigation is continuing, with authorities working with partners in Germany, Bulgaria and Poland.