POLAND: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM

UNCLAS WARSAW 001231 SIPDIS DEPT FOR S/CT RHONDA SHORE DEPT ALSO PLEASE PASS TO NCTC E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER ASEC PL SUBJECT: POLAND: 2009 COUNTRY REPORTS ON TERRORISM REF: STATE 109980 ¶1. In response to reftel, post submits the following narrative for Poland's 2009 Country Report on Terrorism. Embassy POC is Amy Walla, Political Officer, WallaAC@state.gov. ¶2. Begin Text: Poland The Polish Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration assesses the terrorist threat level in Poland as low. However, the government devotes significant resources to counterterrorism activities to ensure the threat does not rise. During the reporting period, the Interior Ministry noted increasing concern about right-wing extremists in Poland. There have been no terrorist attacks in Poland in recent history. Poland continued to support international counterterrorism efforts through its participation in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan. At the end of 2009, Polish ISAF troops represented the seventh-largest national contingent; 16 have been killed in action. Poland has pledged to increase its contribution to ISAF to 2,600 troops in 2010. Poland deployed about 17 soldiers as part of the NATO Training Mission in Iraq. Through participation in initiatives including the Proliferation Security Initiative and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, Poland remained an active participant in various international undertakings to combat terrorist threats. Two years after integration into the Schengen zone, Poland maintained a close and growing collaboration with its European neighbors on counterterrorism. Poland pursued a proactive and inclusive approach to counterterrorism cooperation with Ukraine in advance of the EURO 2012 Soccer Championship, to be jointly hosted by Poland and Ukraine. The bilateral Counterterrorism Working Group (CTWG),formed in 2004 to further U.S.-Polish collaboration on counterterrorism by synchronizing counterterrorism policy and training counterterrorism specialists, continued to hold regular meetings. The CTWG identified specific areas of mutual interest, including critical infrastructure and terrorist financing, and developed further plans for training and cooperation. The Polish and U.S. militaries reached consensus on a Bilateral Agreement on cooperation in combating cyberterrorism. In 2008, the Illinois State Partnership Program initiated a five-year program to expand cooperation between the Illinois National Guard and various Polish ministries on consequence management. End Text. FEINSTEIN