Egyptian activist Youssef Moursi, detained over a fire at Czech defense company LPP Holding, denies involvement and alleges police pressure on pro-Palestinian organizers in a case prosecutors are pursuing as terrorism. Al Jazeera reported his account of detention and the alleged pressure on Oct. 21.
The March 20 fire destroyed a storage hall in Pardubice and spread to an adjoining administrative building, the Czech Fire Rescue Service said. On March 30, the Prague High Public Prosecutor’s Office said suspects had been charged with a terrorist attack and participation in a terrorist group.
A July 15 Constitutional Court ruling rejected a custody challenge from a defendant identified as Y. M. F. M. Lawyer Pavel Čižinský, who represents Moursi, represented the defendant in that challenge. The court found that lower courts had given specific grounds for reasonable suspicion at the custody stage. It made no finding of guilt.
Moursi told Al Jazeera that police “deliberately try to break us,” alleging isolation and limits on contact. His lawyer said Moursi was held in solitary confinement for three months after his detention.
Rue, another Prague activist, told Al Jazeera that police questioned them, searched their home and seized devices. Rue said officers told them after the questioning and search that they were being treated as a witness.
The site’s proposed work with Israeli defense company Elbit Systems forms part of the case’s background. The Czech Embassy in Israel documented an unmanned-aircraft cooperation agreement signed by LPP s.r.o. and Elbit Systems on Oct. 6, 2023. LPP Holding co-owner and commercial director Radim Petráš said in February 2024 that a planned project with Elbit involved the Israeli army. LPP spokesperson Martina Tauberová later said production of Israeli drones at the Pardubice site never began.
Polish prosecutors separately charged two Polish citizens with helping cause a fire they described as terrorist in character. Both denied wrongdoing.
Al Jazeera reported that Moursi’s next detention review is expected in early December.
