Millitary intelligence involved in crime and manipulation in democratic Poland

Polish military intelligence was involved in illegal activities and exerted illegitimate influence on Polish public life after the fall of communism, according to a just published government report.

Military secret services, or the WSI, that operated in Poland after the fall of communism, largely exceeded their legal objectives and were involved in a number of criminal irregularities, states the long-awaited government report on the activity of the now resolved Polish military secret services.

The communist-rooted military intelligence did not fulfill its regular counter-intelligence duties properly, was involved in economic crime and weapon trading on a large scale, exerted illegitimate influence on media and politics in democratic Poland, concludes the report. Journalist Krzysztof Leski:

'This report clearly proves that the WSI, frankly speaking, went wild after the overthrow of Communism in Poland in 1989. And it's not about individual agents, but it seems to be the case about the entire service which, roughly, acted as a state within a state, with one clear objective - to make money in illegal transactions.'

One of the striking revelations of the report is also the involvement of Polish military intelligence with the Russian secret services, with some Polish WSI officers having been trained in the Soviet Union. Reportedly, the WSI were also suspiciously lenient towards the activity of Russian intelligence in Poland.

The publication of the report is an element of the current Polish government's policy of clearing the public life of dangerous entanglements with the past. Defense Minister Aleksander Szczygło:

'This is supposed to be a warning for all those who think that military services, or secret services in general, are allowed to influence a democratic state. They may do that, but only in order to protect democracy and not destroy it.'

According to the commission that authored the report, over 2500 agents of the former military secret services infiltrated Polish public life in the 1990s, following the collapse of communism. In a press conference following the publication of the report, Polish president Lech Kaczyński stressed the clues pointing to military intelligence tampering with the public opinion through the media.

'Placing an agent as a program director of a very influential tv station, or as the deputy head of another also important tv station, or placing someone as a deputy director of the television information agency or the spokesman of public tv are, I think, very effective ways to influence the media message.'

The report mentions names of public officials and journalists whose secret cooperation with the military intelligence was in breach of the law. Among those mentioned as responsible for irregularities in this area were Poland's former presidents, famous solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa and the post-communist Aleksander Kwaśniewski.

The report caused uproar and heated discussion, with many of the accused saying they will sue the report authors for libel.

Opposition Civic Platform party leader, Donald Tusk, though critical of the government handling of the whole problem, would like to see the people mentioned in the report put on trial. Publishing a report is not enough, he says.

'I want something much more severe. I would like all the perpetors mentioned in this report to answer for their deeds before court.'

Many of the accused deny the charges. General Marek Dukaczewski, former head of the military intelligence says he was unaware of the alleged criminal irregularities.

'No important documents were destroyed in order to hide traces of any illegal operations. I don't know of any such cases and for sure, while I was in charge, no such situation took place.'

According to opinion journalist Jerzy Jachowicz of the "Dziennik" daily, the report comes years to late.

'We wouldn't have those cancerous tumors o n the military intelligence, about which we will never know the whole truth, now that many documents have been destroyed. Also, many things were not documented at all, probably also about their involvement with some of the media. If all that had been dealt with 15 years ago, we would have a different situation now.'

Report authors say the document is incomplete and will be amended many times before it reaches its final shape. More names and facts on WSI irregularities are expected to surface.

I hope they get as many of those dirty communists as they can. We forget to easily how they did whatever they pleased when the soviet pointed his guns at Poland. They thought that they could go whichever way the wind blows-when it suits them to be communists, they are, and when not, they pretend to be good citizens. Perhaps I don't agree with everything Prezydent and Premier Kaczynscy do, but I really liked it when they said, "I remember who was on what side" when they were talking about the 80s and Solidarnosc.

Many people don't understand that while it is very inconvenient for the country to get rid of many people from many high places, the cost of leaving them would be even higher. It would only look like order, but those dogs who helped the communists would still be secretly exerting some control of all levels of our beloved homeland. They are fortunate that we are not in the middle ages any more, or everyone would be shouting "Zdrajce! Na pal!"
Of course it is nice to try to, as they say, catch up with the world, but we have to get rid of these traitors who sold and still sell their own people to the communists, or whatever they call themselves now. If we don't, no matter how hard we try, how hard we work, Poland will always seem to be inept, unable to make any progress. When a person has a cold that leaches him of strength, his body gets rid of the cold. Then he is healthy. So too must Poland do: get rid of the red virus that still plagues us, that leaches from good hardworking Poles. Then Poland will be healthy. Let us pray that this is done quickly, and with minimum disruption.

God Bless

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.