The ABW conducted an operation against people who were supposed to spread fake news related to the anti-flood action. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said at the evening crisis headquarters that “those detained used the uniform” of the Military Counterintelligence Service and “spread disinformation”. – They decided, and we are investigating why, that their goal was to spread panic mainly in relation to blowing up the embankments – he said.
“Urgent! ABW officers have just detained a person who, dressed in a uniform, was disinforming residents about an alleged plan to blow up a flood embankment. The ABW and prosecutor's office are taking action,” the prime minister wrote. Donald Tusk on Thursday afternoon on platform X.
The press spokesman for the Minister Coordinator of Special Services, Jacek Dobrzyński, wrote later that “Internal Security Agency officers detained a 26-year-old resident of a town near Wrocław, who, dressed in a uniform, was disinforming people about an alleged plan to blow up a flood embankment.” “The ABW's activities are ongoing,” he added.
Tusk: Those detained used a uniform and spread disinformation
Later that day, there was information about more than one person being detained. Prosecutor Robert Tomankiewicz from the Lower Silesian Branch of the Department of Organized Crime and Corruption of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław told TVN24 that it was this department that would be conducting the investigation.
He explained that it would be an investigation into the case of two men detained by the ABW. He also said that the transfer to the prosecutor's office was scheduled for Friday.
Prime Minister Tusk also spoke more about the services' action at the evening meeting of the crisis team in Wrocław. He noted that “the ABW's diagnosis was accurate and the case was of a rather serious nature.”
– The detainees were indeed wearing a uniform, I think the Military Counterintelligence Service, according to the old pattern. But it is known that people do not really know whether this uniform is a modern pattern or not. And they were indeed spreading disinformation and above all they considered, we are investigating why, that their goal was to spread panic mainly in relation to the blowing up of the embankments, about which they informed, in quotation marks, people – he said.
As the Prime Minister announced, “we will try to eliminate these threats resulting from the activities of such individuals”. – Today it is too early to say what really drives these people, but we will really investigate it very ruthlessly and punish it, of course – he emphasized.
Tusk: Nobody intends to blow anything up anywhere
Already on Thursday morning, the head of government informed the crisis headquarters in Wrocław that there were false signals that someone wanted to blow up the embankments. “Nobody has any intention of blowing anything up anywhere,” Tusk assured. He also appealed to people not to spread such disinformation.
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He noted, however, that this “is not always a misunderstanding” and together with the Internal Security Agency they decided to make the following information public: a man dressed in a military uniform was found, who informed in various places that the embankments would be blown up. – A person drives a car with false registration numbers, this is no longer fun, this is not some amateur activity, these are very serious issues – said Tusk.
The Prime Minister appealed not to believe anyone who says such things, posing as a representative of the authorities or services. The police or military should also be immediately informed of such a case. He added that the government, with the help of the Internal Security Agency, will try to eliminate and neutralize such behavior as quickly as possible.
Government representatives have repeatedly stressed that there is a lot of fake news in the public space.
This was mentioned by, among others, the Minister of National Defense and Deputy Prime Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on Monday “Kropce nad i” on TVN24. He then referred to the reports that allegedly there were plans to blow up flood embankments to protect selected places from flooding. – This is a blatant lie. No operation related to the potential blowing up of flood embankments is being prepared or conducted, and this was confirmed by General (Wiesław – ed.) Kukuła, Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces – he emphasized.
In his opinion, “whoever spreads these lies is acting to the detriment and spreading panic.”
Kosiniak-Kamysz on alleged plans to blow up the embankments: a lieTVN24
Kosiniak-Kamysz also said that “there are other disinformation”. – That, for example, through aid for Ukraine We are not able to provide assistance here, on the spot, at home, because we do not have the strength and resources. This is a blatant lie. Please do not believe in something like this. These are hybrid actions. We must fight this disinformation – he appealed.
He also asked to “verify information that is provided on the Internet”. – Government and local government sources, official profiles. This is a correct, reliable and credible source of information – he added.
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