According to journalists, a man working as a salsa and bachata teacher in Russia recruited predominantly job-seeking citizens from Latin American countries through social media, who could freely move within the Schengen area. The collected data indicates that from May to September 2024, Oemis Romagosa Durruti coordinated planned GRU terrorist attacks in Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Lithuania. In Lithuania, he is linked to an arson attempt in September 2024 in Šiauliai. The target was mobile radio frequency spectrum analysis stations stored at the premises of TVC Solutions, intended for Ukraine and used, among other things, for detecting drones. The company, led by Ramūnas Dirmeikis, had produced more than half of the order – 18 out of 30 stations – at that time. According to law enforcement, equipment worth over 1.5 million euros was attempted to be set on fire on September 17 and 22. In the second case, the incendiary liquid ignited, but the fire did not spread to the equipment. The LRT investigation department notes that Colombians, Cubans, a Spaniard, a Belarusian, and a Russian were recruited for the operation in Lithuania. They were paid for flights, hotels, and taxis, and were also provided with information about the target. The investigation established that some of the suspects were unaware that the true client of the operation was the Russian GRU. The lawyers of the defendants in Šiauliai informed journalists that their clients allegedly believed they were carrying out a task to intimidate business competitors. Oemis Romagosa Durruti sought performers in Telegram and Facebook groups. Using several different accounts, he offered jobs in Europe, and in some cases, looked for individuals with military experience. One of the Colombians he recruited made two attacks in Poland in May 2024 – in Warsaw and Radom, and later set fire to a bus depot in Prague. Another Colombian was detained in Romania while preparing to set fire to a waste processing facility. Currently, seven people suspected or accused of terrorist activities are in custody in Lithuania. International arrest warrants have been issued for three others, including Oemis Romagosa Durruti. One of the wanted individuals, Cuban Mayra Eucarist de la Lastra Nistal, was detained this year in Panama. The two main organizers of the attack in Šiauliai – Cuban citizens Alexis Pecoroso and Oemis Romagosa Durruti – have been placed on an international wanted list. The LRT investigation was conducted in collaboration with the German Deutsche Welle, teams of investigative journalists from the Czech public broadcaster, and the investigative journalism platform of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Earlier, the BNS agency reported that in a case submitted to the court in January, citizens of Belarus, Colombia, Spain, Cuba, and Russia are accused of participating in a terrorist group, attempting a terrorist act, and financing terrorism. The most severe preventive measure of detention has been applied to all defendants.
