Lech Kaczynski's death under investigative scrutiny...

Explosive testimonies of experts shed new light on the causes of April 10, 2010 crash of Polish government Tupolev, TU-154M, in Smolensk, Russia.

February 17, 2012: Excerpts from the meeting of the Polish Parliamentary Commission set to investigate the causes of the Polish government plane crash near Smoleńsk, Russia, on April 10, 2010, presided by Mr. Antoni Macierewicz.

The testimony of Colonel Tomasz Grudziński, ret. former Deputy Director of the Government Protection Bureau (abbr. BOR – Biuro Orchony Rządu) [1] before Antoni Macierewicz's Parliamentary Commission set to investigate the causes of the Polish governments’ plane crash near Smoleńsk, Russia, on April 10, 2010. Excerpts:

"I take full responsibility for what I am about to say; I am under the impression that what took place [in regards to providing adequate security for President Lech Kaczyński, and the Polish delegation flying to Smoleńsk, Russia by the Government Protection Bureau wasn't a simple dereliction of duty, but rather, it was a [premeditated and] conscientiously carried out effort of somebody, who in an unofficial capacity, was diminishing the importance of all international visits undertaken by our late President, Mr. Lech Kaczyński. I state this was with full understanding [of what it means], also remembering my 9 colleagues [who died in the crash], who just like the President [Mr. Lech Kaczyński], put their lives in the hands of those, who were to provide them with [the necessary] security. I once again ask you, those gathered here - would you like the present Bureau for Government Security to provide such security for you as well?"

I don't want to take a position regarding various hypotheses, but I am of the opinion, that certain hypotheses could be eliminated, as these bullet-proof vests are a very important part of the investigation; if anything else, because of the specifics of their construction, and the placement of the BOR officers aboard [the aircraft]. Because, during these [types of] flights, members of BOR are placed in the mid-section of the aircraft, immediately next to the presidential compartment, and the other group was in the passengers' compartment."

Mr. Andrzej Melak, member of the Polish Parliament: "In light of all that was said here today, […] I am of the opinion that [all actions of the government that lead to the crash] were carried out with premeditation, having as its ultimate goal, laying the ground work for the tragedy that was to ensue - the murder of our sisters, brothers, our President, and our friends."

Mr. Jan Kozłowski, member of the Polish Parliament: "What we have learned from the testimony of Colonel, [Grudziński] is a truly shocking mess and oversights. But, it isn't really all that surprising. Because, from the day of this crash, we see how many types of failures of this type took place in the Polish services. Touching upon what was said by Mr. Andrzej Melak, one can view all of this slightly differently, specifically, the presidential motorcade wasn't present in Smoleńsk, because it wouldn’t be needed anymore; they [the Donald Tusk government] already knew that. No reconnaissance of the route [of the presidential motorcade] between Smoleńsk and Katyń was carried out, because it was said that it wasn't necessary. The explosives' expert wasn't asked to secure the place where the [Presidential] plane was to be parked, because it was obvious that the [President's] plane will not be parked there. In the context of what the Colonel said, one could make an assumption, that the failure to carry out all [security activities] that should have been carried out, left behind evidence of a horrific and obvious idiocy of the BOR leadership. Thus, the acceptance of our bill, asking for the immediate dismissal of General Janicki, is also in the personal interest of Mr. Prime Minister Tusk."

Question by Mrs. Dorota Gosiewska, widow of Przemysław Edgar Gosiewski: "There were many reports of an alleged use of meaconing [2] [in order to confuse and mislead the navigational systems aboard the Polish government’s Tupolev Tu-154M], can you please address this issue ? […] [Read Beata Gosiewska's Interview, "The Smolensk Widow Exposes the Smolensk Lie", here]

Answer: Col. Tomasz Grudziński: "We have no direct means of employing countermeasures against such activities. As far as the alleged mess is concerned - I don't believe in the mess [scenario]. But, I would like to emphasize one very important fact. I am trying to ascertain if the [presidential] motorcade was present at all at the [Smoleńsk - Severny] airfield. After viewing photographs, and listening to statements that were made, I've reached the conclusion, that 4 vehicles weren't there - at least, 4 vehicles. Two primary [vehicles, that were to have transported President Lech Kaczyński, and other dignitaries], and two security [detail vehicles], or three security vehicles […]. Based on the procedures in place, BOR officers ought to secure the individuals for whom they provide security. Their heads are literally on the line if they don’t. Perhaps I exaggerated about their heads, but they are responsible before the Prosecutor's office for failing to do so; all the remains after the crash are to be secured, and truthfully, are to be secured non-stop, 24-hours a day. I repeat, 24-hours a day, until they are returned to our country."

Question: "Can you compare the security in place during April 7, 2010 (the visit of Vladimir Putin and the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk) and that of President Lech Kaczyński on April 10, 2010?"

"There is nothing to be compared in this regard […]. Based on my empirical knowledge of how the Russians [their security detail services] works here in Poland, providing security for the locations where Mr. Putin was visiting, I am sure, were restricted, and no one, with the exception of those whom they chose to allow, were permitted to enter [these restricted areas]. That's one point. Secondly, they employ what is called a "total security" system, that is, they deploy as many people as they feel are needed, and they are good at it, but so are we, and we were praised for it [at some point as well]. What is certain, however, is that the Russians helped considerably to secure the visits of both prime ministers. That's for sure !" [… By comparison] while assessing the level of preparedness of the Smoleńsk-Severny airfield [for the planned arrival of Lech Kaczyński's plane] - on the scale of 0 to 10, where the highest rating is 10 - I'll rate it as zero. As far as the [level of security preparation for the] anticipated motorcade routes is concerned - I'll give it a zero. As far as [the preparedness] of the Katyń [location] is concerned, I'll rate it at 2 to 3 […]."

Mr. Andrzej Adamczyk, member of the Polish Parliament: "I would like to briefly reflect - in the context of what you, gentlemen, officers, said, and in particular, to reflect - about what was said by the Major [Trela] concerning the tragic situation taking place in BOR. While viewing other [Polish] special services, or units of the central police, the Central Investigations’ Bureau, I am reaching the conclusion, that while instituting leadership changes in these services, Mr. [Prime Minister] Tusk, and Mr. Cichocki, are in fact, purposefully dismantling these special services, in order to impede their ability to carry out their constitutionally assigned duties. I read the manner, in which the investigation of the Smoleńsk crash is conducted, to be just like that. What I have in mind, are the intelligence, and counter-intelligence services, that after this tragedy, should have proactively undertaken activities that would provide us with answers as to what really happened there [in Smoleńsk]. Gentlemen, officers, while speaking with friends and colleagues, in either, the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau [abbr. CBA – Centralne Biuro Antykorupcyjne] [3], or the military counter-intelligence - believe me - they are also ashamed to admit that they are serving in the ranks of these services these days […]"

Mr. Andrzej Melak: "The fact that [the head of BOR] General Janicki was lying, is nothing new. But let's take a look at our highest ranking dignitaries, ‘dignitaries’ in quotation marks, who also publicly lied - one from Brussels, the other in Warsaw - when they said that the families [of the crash victims] wrote to them only in order to be compensated financially. He, [Donald Tusk] lied not only to us, the families, but also to the Members of Parliament, during its official proceedings; and this is the standard that is implemented from top to bottom, and from the bottom-up. One has to be cognizant of that. Together, they create a hermetically closed circle of lies, that they want to convey to as many Poles as possible; by hypnotizing us, we can call it this way […].

Mr. Świat, member of the Polish Parliament: "It is being said that the wall of the 'Smoleńsk Silence' has [finally] crumbled, because, in essence, this entire propaganda line, enumerating [false] pressures from the President [to land], an irresponsible, and drunk general [Błasik], irresponsible pilots, has in fact, turned into proverbial dust. Because of the work of Mr. Macierewicz's group, this [official propaganda] line was exposed, and was shown for what it is [- a lie]. But, this Smoleńsk lie is, however, being reborn once again. Even, after this meeting is over, a new propaganda [and disinformation campaign] will be in full swing. First, that the visits of the 7th and 10th of April were identical, and that all [who had traveled there] were treated exactly in the same way; which of course, as we all know, is not true,because, the visits of the Prime Minister [Tusk] and the President [Kaczyński] were organized very differently. The continuation of this lie, that there were some shortcomings - and of course, these were there as well - were not of the doing of this government, this administration, but rather, their source is here, and there, and then some. That these oversights were also part of Lech Kaczyński's government and of the doing of the President himself, which of course, is not true. I would like to remind all, that there was a NIK (Pol. abbr. Naczelna Izba Kontroli - Chief Control Body) report regarding the conduct of official visits, prepared as well, and what is particularly interesting, is that NIK conducted a study for the years 2005 and 2010, in order to implicate the previous administration [of Lech Kaczyński]. So, a new announcement was trumpeted out to the world, that this particular incompetence always existed. This isn't true either, and I believe that after we read this report in its entirety, because so far we have seen only a piece of it, we'll find out that the scale of failures, shortcomings of this administration is simply terrifying. So, this new strategy of lies is aimed at implicating individuals of the proverbial middle management. So, these would be the pilots, who are no longer alive [and unable to defend themselves], the Deputy Chief of BOR, or the people with marginal involvement [in these matters]; while in fact, the people in charge, will be cleared of any wrongdoing. Among these are, the Prime Minister [Tusk], Minister(s) [Klich, Miller, Sikorski, and others], and the Chief of BOR. So, once again, all of us here, are facing a battle, that is, a fight with yet another propaganda campaign, concocted probably somewhere in some corner of the Prime Minister's office […]."

Major Robert Trela: "I was asked questions regarding the [breaking of the] TU-154M windows [with crowbars by the Russians - see the evidence destruction video here], and if I could comment on that, and if it could be considered a piece of evidence? […]. The aircraft's windows in particular, are, and should, of course, be considered an important piece of evidence. Why? Because, just as any window, in any vehicle, or, in any means of transportation, it is subject to [the internal barometric] pressure [and stress]. Even in a common car, as it [the glass window] is being mounted [onto the vehicle] and is glued-on, it is already then, subject to internal stresses […] as I was viewing photos of the [TU-154M] windows at an angle; I noticed clearly visible discoloration in the windows. This blemish, this discoloration, showed evidence of internal stresses to which they were subjected. An aircraft, and its windows, as it travels in the air, or not, are always subject to the pressure […] In order to conclusively discard a hypothesis of an internal explosion on the plane, the analysis of the pressure exerted on these windows, would have provided a considerable amount of invaluable information […]"

Translated by Jola D.

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Footnotes:

[1] The Government Protection Bureau (Polish: Biuro Ochrony Rządu) is Poland's equivalent of the United States Secret Service, providing antiterrorism and VIP security services for the Polish government.

[2] "MEACONING" - (DOD, NATO) A system of receiving radio beacon signals and rebroadcasting them on the same frequency to confuse navigation.

[3] The Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA, Polish: Centralne Biuro Antykorupcyjne) is a division of the Polish government, reporting to the Prime Minister of Poland, responsible for addressing corruption in Poland.