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American forces to help defend Euro 2012 against terror threat?

PR dla Zagranicy
Peter Gentle 01.06.2011 11:12
A leading spokesman for the Polish military has outlined plans for American cooperation in providing security during the Euro 2012 championships against terrorists and other threats.

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“Forces and means – that means people and American equipment, could be on Polish territory during this time, ready for action, if such a need exists,” Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, General Mieczyslaw Cieniuch told the TVP public broadcaster on Tuesday.

The general's statement comes in the wake of exercises organised by the Ministry of the Interior last week, in which 50 soldiers of the US's National Guard took part.

Last week's so-called “Epifaktor” programme saw Polish and American military experts join forces in exercises relating to combating risks posed by chemical and biological weapons.

The guardsmen also pledged to be of assistance during Euro 2012, to be co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine, although details have yet to be clarified.

In what appeared to be a bid to face off alarm about the competence of the Polish military, General Cieniuch added that, “it's not the case that we need” U.S help during Euro 2012. Rather, he stressed the fruits of a long-running legacy of cooperation between the two countries.

Yesterday, former prime minister Leszek Miller declared that sensationalistic press coverage of Poland's alleged role in hosting CIA prisons during the war on terrorism was in itself “an invitation for al-Qaeda” to attack the country during the championships.

On Monday, the Gazeta Wyborcza daily published a lead that revived accusations that Miller had acquiesced to a U.S. request to set up so-called “black site” detention centres on Polish territory. The camps are alleged to have operated between 2002-2003. (nh/pg)

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