Controversy over ABW search

Controversy erupted last week after agents of the Internal Security Agency (ABW) raided the homes of members of a special committee responsible for vetting former Military Information Services (WSI) officers. The arrests of investigative journalist Wojciech Sumliński and Aleksander L, a former agent of the communist intelligence and a WSI agent, also caused an outcry.

The ABW searched a total of 11 houses last week in its investigation of the committee, including those of two committee members, historian Leszek Pietrzak and former journalist Piotr Bączek. The search of Bączek's house led to a confrontation in which two TVP1 station reporters accused ABW agents of violating their rights through intimidation and unwarranted search. The journalists also claimed their camera and mobile phones were taken away by force.

Following this confrontation, the Association of Polish Journalists appealed to the Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection to demand an explanation.

The Prosecutor's Office, meanwhile, has accused Sumliński and Aleksander L of attempting to sell classified information on the WSI to the Gazeta Wyborcza daily as well as other crimes.

Gazeta Wyborcza journalists have denied that the daily carried out any negotiations, and Sumliński told the media that the accusations were totally unfounded, not least because he strongly opposes the paper's political stance. He also stressed that he himself investigated the cases of secret service crimes and that linking his name with a person like Aleksander L was absurd.

Both suspects were released on bail of zł.70,000 and banned from leaving the country.

The WSI was Poland's former military intelligence and counterintelligence agency. It was dissolved in 2006 by the Law and Justice-led government due to suspicions that the agency had been involved in several illegal activities.

The WSI vetting committee is investigating some of former WSI staff members who would like to work in the new secret services.