Just as in the current functioning of the Military Counterintelligence Service, politics is also creeping into the State Protection Service (SOP). A bodyguard who travels with a VIP and provides security is very often promoted to managerial positions, even though they have nothing to do with management. We see examples of this in today’s SOP. Of course, in return they are loyal to that politician. And sometimes this ends in what we are dealing with now: that for a politician, an officer is even willing to threaten an opposition journalist with death, says Col. Marek Utracki, former deputy head of the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW), in an interview with the Niezalezna.pl portal.
A journalist from “Gazeta Polska” and TV Republika, Piotr Nisztor, obtained recordings of a private conversation between SOP officers, recorded in February 2024 – after the swearing-in of the December 13 coalition government. The main figure on the tapes is Lieutenant Colonel Wojciech B., codenamed “Biszkopt,” a man responsible for the security of the most important figures in the state.
In addition to B., the conversation also includes his close friend (a businessman) and a woman. Their names are known to the editorial team at TV Republika. On air, the station presented excerpts of the recordings, which include vulgar language and threats directed at the journalist. The SOP officer describes a vision of brutal retaliation for publications about him. He threatens Piotr Nisztor with beating, torture, pouring fuel on his body, and killing two dogs in revenge for articles published about him.
“I’ll break his legs with a baton and that’s it. I am, you know… God may not be quick, but He is just […] He’ll lie there for a while, until things quiet down… And then I’ll pour fuel on him,” says Wojciech B. on the recording. The officer also mentioned killing the journalist’s dogs.
“A degradation of the services”
The case has stirred public opinion. The Niezalezna.pl portal asked Col. Marek Utracki, former deputy head of the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW), for comment.
This is a scandalous act of aggression against a journalist who was reporting on matters related to this SOP officer and his work for an arms dealer. For him, this became a pretext to threaten Piotr Nisztor with torture, death, dismemberment, and the killing of his two dogs. Personnel standards in the services have never fallen so low, Niezalezna’s interlocutor comments.
The issue of politics being wrongly understood is key to understanding the degradation of standards in Polish services. This should be a service to the people, not the destruction of opponents, threatening them with death and torture, he adds.
In this case, politics is also creeping into the State Protection Service. A bodyguard who travels with a VIP and protects them is very often promoted to managerial positions, even though they have nothing to do with management. We see examples of this in today’s SOP. A bodyguard forms an acquaintance or friendship with a politician, and that politician then promotes them to a high position. They begin managing a group of several dozen people. Of course, in return they are loyal to that politician. And sometimes this ends in what we are dealing with now: that for a politician, an officer is even willing to threaten an opposition journalist with death, he adds.
In the Military Counterintelligence Service, where politics has also begun to play the main role, people who performed their duties professionally were dismissed. This was how they approached, among other things, matters related to the international situation. Actions connected with Poland’s role in providing support to Ukraine were very well secured. The Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the Military Counterintelligence Service (SKW) were detaining spies attempting to reconnoiter or destroy logistical support for Ukraine. We all know what it looks like now. Hostile acts have occurred and they were not prevented. This is the result of shaping personnel based on political considerations, Col. Utracki believes.
If a thorough audit of the services is not carried out as soon as possible, the situation will only worsen, Niezalezna’s interlocutor warned.