Polish security services meet following threat to PM and defence minister

The exact nature and origin of the threat to prime minister Donald Tusk and defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz were not immediately clear. (EPA Images pic) WARSAW: Polish security services convened a special meeting on Sunday after receiving information about a potential attack on prime minister Donald Tusk and defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, an interior ministry spokesperson said on X.

The exact nature of the threat and its origin were not immediately clear.

"Following information received by the Polish Police regarding a possible attack ...interior minister, Marcin Kierwiński, and the minister-coordinator of special services, Tomasz Siemoniak, have ordered action to be taken in this matter," spokesperson Karolina Galecka wrote.

"A meeting will be held today at 11.00 am at the Internal Security Agency’s Counter-Terrorism Centre."

A spokesperson for the minister-coordinator of special services said he had no further comment.

Private broadcaster Radio Zet reported that police had received an email with information about the threat.

While violent crime is relatively rare in Poland, the country is deeply polarised politically and has faced security threats due to its proximity to the war in Ukraine.

In August, police detained a 23-year-old man accused of calling for the assassination of senior Polish politicians.

In 2024, Tusk said he received threats after an assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico.

Sunday's announcement came as authorities in Poland have been on high alert following a wave of violence in schools that resulted in the death of a caretaker on Thursday.