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Poland Marks Seven-Year Anniversary of Crash that Killed President

Poland this month marked the seven-year anniversary of a plane crash in Russia that killed the President Lech Kaczynski, the first lady and 94 others. The president and the delegation were flying to Russia to pay tribute to Polish officers killed there by the Soviet secret police during World War II. The crash occurred as the plane was approaching the runway of the Smolensk military airport.

On 10 April, the Polish president, prime minister and top officials took part in commemorations marking seven years since a fatal presidential plane crash in western Russia. A traditional roll call of honour in front of the presidential palace in the Polish capital Warsaw was held on Monday at 8:41 AM, the exact time of the disaster on 10 April 2010. The event was attended by Prime Minister Beata Szydlo and the head of the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. A series of commemorations were also held across the country.

Speaking in central Warsaw, President Andrzej Duda stated that the previous government, which was led by Civic Platform (PO) party, which is now in opposition, had failed to explain the causes of the disaster. He went on to say that the current government had a duty to uncover the truth about the tragedy.

The crash, which continues to be a source of controversy in the country, killed dozens of senior Polish government officials and military commanders. It occurred as pilots attempted to land a Soviet-made Tu-154 at a rarely used airport near Smolensk to take part in commemorations of thousands of Polish officers executed there by Soviet secret police in 1940.

The anniversary also comes as a new commission investigating the crash suggested on Monday that the Polish presidential plane was destroyed by an explosion. According to the Polish government commission, the plane probably disintegrated mid-air when explosives were detained on board – a theory that a member of a previous commission dismissed as “propaganda.” Commentary accompanying video material presented by the commission on Monday stated that “much indicates that on April 10, 2010, an explosion took place on board of the government Tupolev plane,” adding “as a result of the conducted experiments, we can say that the most likely cause of the explosion was a thermobaric charge initiating a strong shockwave.” The investigatory commission, which was created by Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, stated on Monday that a blast most likely tore the plane into pieces, killing all those on board just seconds before it hit the ground. It repeated allegations, which were first made in Warsaw earlier this month, that Russian air traffic controllers had deliberately set the plane on the wrong descent path. Polish prosecutors disclosed this month that they would press charges against two controllers. Moscow however has rejected the allegations.

The new commission also disclosed that besides large pieces of wreckage, there was a multitude of smaller fragments, a fact that could be explained by an explosion. The commission further disclosed that at least four victims of the crash had significant burns on their bodies, although they were found away from flames on the crash site. One of the plane doors penetrated the ground to a depth of one metre, suggesting that it had been travelling 10 times faster than the plane’s speed. The commission further noted that it had ordered a reconstruction of part of the TU-154 plane and blown it up with a thermobaric charge, adding that the damage resembled that done in the Russian crash.

Russia has so far refused to return the wreckage of the jet to Poland, citing its own continuing investigation. Last year, Polish prosecutors ordered that the coffins of the crash victims be reopened in order to check for traces of explosives. Earlier this month, prosecutors disclosed that this process will continue until next year.

A member of the previous Polish official commission to investigate the Smolensk crash, Maciej Lasek, has dismissed the findings that were published on Monday, stating that they ware “illusions presented by people who had never investigated air crashes before.” Lasek told private broadcaster TVN24 that “this is propaganda aimed at strengthening the faith…in hypothetical causes of this accident.” Lasek was the head of the stat body to investigate air crashes from 2012 until he was dismissed from the post by the current government last year. The earlier commission, which had been formed by the previous government, blamed mistakes by the Polish pilots and Russian air traffic controllers for the crash. A Russian report into the crash also blamed the poles.

Last month, the PiS government accused European Council President Donald Tusk, who was Polish prime minister at the time of the crash, of working with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a bid to harm Polish interests following the plane crash. Tusk has denied this.

US-Mexico Border Crossings at 17-Year Low

Officials announced last week that the number of people arrested crossing the Mexico border into the United States has fallen to the lowest level in seventeen years.

According to US Customs and Border Protection, in March there were fewer than 17,000 arrests of undocumented migrants, the least since 2000.

Speaking to Congress, Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly stated that the decline was “no accident” as he credited President Donald Trump. Mr Kelly, who is a retired Marine general, testified about the figures to the Senat Homeland Security Committee. He told the panel, “we’ve seen an absolutely amazing drop in the number of migrants coming out of Central America that are taking that terribly dangerous route from Central America to the United States.” He went on to say that “March marks the fifth straight month of decline and is estimated to be approximately 71% lower than the December 2016 total – 58,478,” noting however that “…while this recent decline in illegal migration is good news, we must ensure that the security of our southern border remains a priority to protect the nation from terrorists and other criminals.” Senator John McCain asked if Mr Kelly’s agency was receiving help from Mexican officials, with Mr Kelly stating that the US was receiving “a huge amount of co-operation from the Mexicans,” citing “very, very good relationships with the Mexicans, both on their southern border where they stopped 160,000 illegal immigrants from Central America last year.”

According to data released by US Customs and Border Protection, in February 23,589 immigrants were apprehended at the border.

Also last week, the US government began accepting bids from contractors to build a prototype for a border wall. President Trump has pledged to build a “big, beautiful wall” along the 3,200 km (2,000 mile) border with Mexico. Last week at th hearing, Mr Kelly told the Senate committee that “it is unlikely that we will build a physical wall from sea to shining sea,” adding that sensors, drones and other technology will fill in gaps where the wall will not be present and that “physical barriers do work if they’re put in the right places.”

MEPs Agree on Brexit Negotiation Plan

Last week, the European Parliament backed a motion setting out its position for the Brexit negotiations. The vote backed the motion 516 to 133.

The motion effectively sets out general principles at the start of the two year negotiations for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (EU) under the Article 50 Process. Speaking at a press conference on 5 April shortly after the vote, Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament’s Brexit negotiator, stated that the vote meant that “the UK on the one hand and the (European) Commission on the other hand now know the position of the Parliament, what the red lines are.” He went on to say that “the interests of our citizens is our first priority” and called for an early resolution on the status of EU citizens in the UK and UK citizens elsewhere in the EU.

The motion, which was supported by the two largest groups of MEPs, backs a number of positions that have been taken by EU leaders and which include the need for a “phased approach” to negotiations. This would effectively require progress on the terms of Britain’s withdrawal, including settling financial commitments, before talks on a future trading relationship can begin. It also backs the call for transparency in the talks, and for the UK to be considered liable for financial commitments that apply after it leaves the EU. It further states:

• Transitional arrangements should be time-limited to three years and be enforced by the EU’s Court of Justice
• UK citizens in the EU and EU citizens in Britain should receive “reciprocal” treatment
• The final deal should not include a “trade-off” between trade and security co-operation
• The UK should adhere to EU environmental and anti-tax evasion standards in order to get close trade ties
• The European Banking Authority and European Medicines Agency should be moved out of London
• The UK should pay towards costs for the EU that “arise directly from its withdrawal”

During the debate, Manfred Weber, chairman of the largest group of MEPs, the centre-right European People’s Party, stating that “cherry-picking will not happen. A state outside the European Union will not have better conditions than a state inside the European Union.” Gianna Pitella, chairman of the European Socialists and Democrats also agued that the UK “can not benefit from the same conditions as members do,” adding “if you leave the house, you still have to pay the bills.”

While the motion is not binding on European Commission officials, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker told MEPs that “the role of this parliament is more important than ever. You must scrutinise and validate the final agreement.” He went on to say, “we will of course negotiate in friendship and openness and not in a hostile mood, with a country that has brought so much to our union and will remain close to hearts long after they have left, but this is now the time for reason over emotion,” adding, “what’s at stake here are the lives of millions of people. Millions have family or professional links to the United Kingdom.”

GCHQ Warns Politicians About Russian Hacking Threat

GCHQ last month warned politicians that attacks by Russian hackers could threaten British democracy.

The Sunday Times has reported that the spy agencys computer security chief has written to political parties offering advice on preventing hacks. In the letter, Ciaran Martin, chief executive of GCHQs National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) stated, you will be aware of the coverage of events in the United States, Germany and elsewhere reminding us of the potential for hostile action against the UK political system, adding this is not just about the network security of political parties own systems. Attacks against our democratic processes go beyond this and can include attacks on parliament, constituency offices, think tanks and pressure groups and individuals email accounts. He went on to say that the GCHQ would offer tailored seminars in order to help political parties understand the threats and reduce the risk of information being stolen. The letter comes after he warned back in February that Britain had been targeted with 188 attempted high-level hacks in the previous three months, noting that many of which threatened national security. Chancellor Phillip Hammond, a former defense and foreign secretary, meanwhile has disclosed that the NCSC had been blocking more than 200 attacks a day on government departments and the public over the last six months.

This comes as United States intelligence officials have accused the Kremlin of using cyber-attacks in order to influence the November 2016 presidential election. A report by US intelligence officials concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin had ordered the hacking of the Democratic National Committee in a bid to influence the November election in favour of Republican candidate Donald Trump. Meanwhile Germanys domestic intelligence chief warned in December 2016 of increasingly aggressive cyber-espionage by a hacking group believed to be controlled by the Russian state. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson however has stated that so far there has been no evidence of any successful attacks in the UK. This month, Mr Johnson told ITVs Peston On Sunday that we have no evidence that the Russians are actually involved in trying to undermine our democratic processes at the moment. We dont actually have that evidenceBut what we do have is plenty of evidence that the Russians are capable of doing that. And there is no doubt that they have been up to all sorts of dirty tricks. The foreign secretary went on to say that there was very little doubt that the Kremlin was behind the hacking in the US, cyber-attacks on French TV stations and an attempted coup in Montenegro. Russia however has rejected these allegations.

Syrian Chemical Attack

At least 70 people have been killed in a suspected chemical attack on the rebel-held town of Khan Sheikhoun in north-western Syria. Hundreds suffered symptoms consistent with reaction to a nerve agent after what the opposition and Western powers said was a Syrian government air strike on the area on Tuesday morning. Activists and witnesses say warplanes attacked Khan Sheikhoun, about 50km (30 miles) south of the city of Idlib, early on Tuesday, when many people were asleep.

The use of chemical weapons is still being confirmed. 32 victims of the attack were brought to Turkey, where three subsequently died in hospital. “Post mortems were carried out on the three bodies,” Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said, “the results of the post-mortems confirm chemical weapons were used.”

The bodies were examined by officials from the World Health Organisation in the southern province of Adana together with officials from Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Russia said it was “premature” to accuse President Assad of using chemical weapons, and called for a thorough investigation. It has said the deaths and injuries were caused by a Syrian airstrike on a “terrorist warehouse” containing “toxic substances”. Witnesses described seeing victims choking, fainting and foaming at the mouth after the weapons were dropped. Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said it treated patients with dilated pupils, muscle spasms and involuntary defecation “consistent with exposure to neuro-toxic agents such as Sarin.”

The West places the blame squarely on the Assad regime. Russia – one of President Assad’s few allies – has a different story.

Russia, which has carried out air strikes in support of President Assad since 2015, said the Syrian air force had struck Khan Sheikhoun “between 11:30am and 12:30pm local time” on Tuesday, but that the target had been “a large terrorist ammunition depot” on its eastern outskirts. “On the territory of the depot, there were workshops which produced chemical warfare munitions,” it added, without providing any evidence. “Terrorists had been transporting chemical munitions from this largest arsenal to the territory of Iraq.”

A Syrian military statement published by state media categorically denied the use of any chemical or toxic substance” in Khan Sheikhoun on Tuesday, adding: “It has never used them, anytime, anywhere, and will not do so in the future.”

Reports of the first significant use of chemical weapons – including Sarin nerve agent – by the Assad regime in 2013, prompted the international community’s first purposeful diplomatic intervention in the Syrian War. The Obama administration had marked down the use of chemical arms as “a red line”, which, if crossed, would lead to serious consequences for the Assad regime.In the event, President Obama decided to pull back and avoid military action. The US and Russia came together and brokered a deal under which the Assad regime would give up its chemical arsenal under international inspection.

Russia pledged its continuing support for the Syrian regime on Wednesday, despite the chemical attack. “The Russian Federation and its military are continuing… to support the anti-terrorism operation and liberation of the country, which is being conducted by the Syrian armed forces,” said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov.

US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, said on Wednesday it was time for Russia to rethink its relationship with the Assad regime. “There is no doubt in our mind that the Syrian regime under the leadership of Bashar al-Assad is responsible for the horrific attack. And we think it’s time for the Russians to think carefully about their continuing support for the regime”