Polish police learn of possible plot to attack Prime Minister Tusk

Police in Poland said on Sunday, 11 October, that they had received information about a possible plot to attack the country's prime minister, Donald Tusk, and its defence minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. Poland is already on high alert after a series of school attacks this week and concerns about a possible Russian hybrid attack aimed at weakening western support for Ukraine in its war against Russia's invasion.

Emergency meeting

Jacek Dobrzyński, a spokesperson for the minister overseeing Poland's intelligence services, spoke after an emergency meeting of security services, police and interior ministry officials. He said the authorities take the matter extremely seriously and considered there was a high probability that the threats would have been carried out.

Dobrzyński said the information first reached the state protection service, which passed it to the police. He gave no further details. Adam Szłapka, a Polish government spokesperson, said Tusk learned of the "exceptionally concerning" threat early on Sunday morning.

Dobrzyński also noted that Polish services are receiving a growing number of threats of various kinds every month.

Background

Three attacks at schools in Mazovia province in central Poland took place within four days this week. One person died and many were wounded, including children.

Last month Tusk said Russia was likely to intensify hybrid attacks on Nato's eastern flank. According to him, Moscow was planning strikes with drones or rockets on European countries that back Ukraine, Poland among them, in order to weaken western support. Russia has denied having such plans.