Ondrej Kundra and Kristyna Jelinkova are journalists of the Czech website Respekt.cz, which is a partner of Onet.
On Friday, March 20, after 4 a.m., firefighters from Pardubice received a report of a fire. A warehouse in the industrial zone there was on fire since early morning. The fire spread to the administration building next to it.
The police announced before noon that “based on preliminary findings on site, we can conclude that one of the investigators' versions is that the facility was intentionally set on fire.” The services initiated criminal proceedings on suspicion of committing a crime.
On Friday morning, the websites Głose.cz and Voxpot reported that The Earthquake Faction group admitted to the act. The editorial office received an e-mail with visual materials and a statement.
“Our goal is to destroy all parts of the empire from within, using all effective means,” the group writes in a statement, referring to Israel. The alleged perpetrators describe the attack as hitting the “epicenter of the Israeli arms industry in Europe.”
The industrial zone is home to, among others, the Czech company LPP Holding, which some time ago announced that it wants to produce and develop drones in Pardubice, together with the Israeli company Elbit Systems – a weapons manufacturer supplying weapons to the local army.
Investigators, however, indicate that The Earthquake Faction group was not previously known and its real motive may be completely different. It is possible that Putin's services are actually behind the entire “false flag” operation.
The Earthquake Faction organization stated that a center for the “expansion of Israel's largest weapons manufacturer” is to be built in Pardubice. However, a spokeswoman for the arms company LPP Holding stated on Czech Television that no Israeli drones have ever been produced at the plant.
The “Gift for Putin” group, which collects money from the Czechs for weapons for Ukraine, announced meanwhile that The attacked company from Pardubice also produces “Divoka Svine” (Wild Pig) drones used to fight the Russian army. The “Gift for Putin” group is currently organizing a collection for this weapon.
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Investigators are leaning towards two versions of the events in Pardubice
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Lubomir Metnar, convened a crisis team in connection with the fire in Pardubice. He had previously stated that a terrorist attack was likely.
Destroyed warehouse of an arms company in PardubiceMICHAL CIZEK/AFP/East News / East News
At a later press conference, Metnar announced that an intelligence group would meet together with the crisis staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to assess a possible increase in the level of terrorist threat in the Czech Republic. He added that there is currently no information that the Czechs are threatened with another threat.
The terrorist threat system in the Czech Republic has four levels: from A to D, with D being the most serious. The Czech Republic is currently at level B, which means moderate risk. The level was not raised after the said meeting.
At a press conference at the Ministry of Interior, Police Chief Martin Vondrasek announced that the police are looking for the perpetrator or perpetrators and are working on four versions of how the fire started. In all of them, investigators suspect intentional arson of the building. In response to an inquiry from Respekt, Vondrasek said that he did not want to talk more about the details of the investigation at this stage.
According to information from the “Respekt” magazine, security circles assume that an international group is actually behind the fire and has admitted to this act. The second version is that Czech activists who claim to be an international group and have similar goals are responsible for the attack – namely, opposing the massacres that the group claims are committed by the Israeli army.
Another possibility is that it was a false flag operation in which the perpetrators admitted to fighting against Israel, but the actual motive may be different. There is speculation in security circles, for example, about Russia's possible involvement.
Destroyed warehouse of an arms company in PardubiceJosef Vostarek/Associated Press/East News / CTK / East News
The latest version, based on information from people familiar with the investigation, is that the attack was related to criminal activity without any ideological trace. The fire could have been caused, for example, by credit fraud or competition between companies in the arms sector. It may also have been intended to put pressure on the government to increase defense spending due to the threat. However, the security services assess the fourth option as the least likely.
Respekt's sources say that investigators are currently leaning towards either the first version – an attack by an international group – or the third version, i.e. a false flag operation.
The attack has professional hallmarks: the domain earthquakefaction.net was created in a hurry on March 19, i.e. the day before the attack. It is a channel created specifically for this purpose, not a long-term communication platform. The website is registered in Iceland, which allows for anonymous hosting.
There were seven strangers on site just before the fire. The resulting damage amounts to at least CZK 200 million (approx. PLN 35 million at the current exchange rate). However, the police add that the investigation has only just begun.
The Security Intelligence Service is cooperating with the Czech National Center for Combating Terrorism, Extremism and Cybercrime in the investigation into the fire in the industrial complex in Pardubice. Counterintelligence spokesman Ladislav Sticha, like the police, said he could not provide more detailed information at this stage.
After the meeting of the State Security Council, Prime Minister Andrej Babisz also did not provide any specific information. He confirmed that investigators were considering four scenarios and asked “producers of materials for the defense sector” to “secure their areas because this area was not secured and intrusion was easy.”
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
