Polish 'anarchist' charged during NATO summit

Protesters clash with police at the NATO summit in Chicago: photo - EPA/John Smierciak

Sebastian Senakiewicz had allegedly told undercover officers that he possessed explosives and that he was “upset with the lack of chaos in Chicago.”

The 24-year-old similarly claimed to be a member of a the so-called “Black Bloc,” a group that has been blamed for violent incidents during the recent Occupy Wall Street protest and its offshoots.

However, Senakiewicz's lawyer Molly Armour told the Chicago court on Sunday that her client was being made an example of so as to deter other anarchists from causing disturbances at the summit, which began yesterday.

“He is being targeted because of his beliefs,” she argued, as quoted by the Associated Press.

Senakiewicz, who was detained on Thursday, had allegedly claimed that he was storing explosives in a hollowed out Harry Potter book.

However, when police obtained a search warrant for the defendant's Chicago property, they were unable to find any incriminating material.

Three other men were charged on Saturday, after allegedly planning to attack Chicago police stations. However, police have confirmed that the two cases are not related.

Another man was charged on Sunday with attempting to obtain explosives. (nh)