Four suspects in pretrial detention for allegedly starting 10 fires in Zadar region

A judge ordered one month of pretrial detention for four suspects accused of starting 10 fires across the Zadar region in Croatia. The group includes three Croatian citizens and one Polish citizen, who face charges of a serious criminal offense against public safety, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to ten years.

The suspects were arrested on Saturday evening in a car with Zadar license plates after citizens reported fires being set along roadsides. According to the judge, the detention is due to the risk of re-offending. For three of the suspects, there is also a concern they might influence witnesses, while the fourth, who holds dual Croatian and Serbian citizenship, is considered a flight risk.

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For now, as far as I know, mobile phones have been seized and will be analyzed. Depending on the messages, the investigation will proceed.

Their motive for allegedly starting the fires is currently unknown. The suspects have actively presented their defense, and investigators are examining their mobile phones for messages that could shed light on the events. The judge noted that the charges could be reclassified as terrorism depending on the evidence gathered during the investigation.

Evidence suggests the fires were started by igniting dry grass along roadsides, indicating intentional acts. Analysis of the fire sites and the suspects' clothing for traces of accelerants is pending. Some of the male suspects were reportedly intoxicated during the incidents, though this has not yet been determined for the Polish suspect. Two of the Croatian men have prior convictions for theft, and one faces an ongoing legal proceeding for the same offense.

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We currently have the fact that they admitted to setting fires, they say they used lighters, and that's all we have.