Numerous Polish experts from the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Defense, Government Security Centre, secret services, Headquarters of Police, Headquarters of Border Guard, Government Protection Bureau and, on the American part, representatives of the US Embassy in Poland and Bureau of Co-ordinator on Combating Terrorism in the Department of State of the USA.
In an opening address - Minister Adam Rapacki emphasized that the group, which has operated for 5 years, is an exceptionally valuable forum for exchanging experiences and views concerning counteracting terrorism. We view terrorism as one of the most serious threats in XXI century – said minister. For that reason, he stressed, Poland is an active member of the antiterrorist coalition, and Polish authorities engage in any multilevel activities addressed against that dangerous phenomenon. He also expressed interest in a new antiterrorist strategy announced recently by President Barack Obama.
Ambasador William Heidt warmly welcomed an impressive scope of co-operation between Poland and the USA – it covers a very wide range of questions and enterprises. He remarked that no group nor country will succeed individually. In his opinion, the meeting of the group is an exceptional opportunity to exchange experiences and share best practices. William Heldt emphasized also an enormous importance of the meeting from the point of view of Polish-American bilateral contacts. The ambassador spoke also about a perfectly developing co-operation between Poland and the USA in combating money laundering, proceeding in hostage situation and Poland’s engagement in missions in Afganistan and Iraq. William Heidt hoped that such a fruitful meeting will result in a further tightening that co-operation.
Discussion during the meeting regarded Polish initiatives concerning counteracting terrorism, the new US Government’s policy of counteracting terrorism and other aspects of joint Polish-American cooperation regarding the phenomenon of terrorism.
There were presented projects under construction within the framework of Joint Polish-American Counterterrorism Working Group: 5-year plan of Illinois National Guard, cooperation with Department of Internal Security, Polish participation in the training Prairie North 2010 organized by the Illinois National Guard, cooperation of the Antiterrorist Operations Bureau of the Polish Police Headquarters (BOA KGP) with the Illinois State Police regarding the exchange of experiences and organization of antiterrorist training.
Further cooperation plans of the Group were also under discussion. The Polish side presented information about actions of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in order to ensure security during the Football Euro Cup 2012.
Another item of the agenda was a visit in the Counterterrorism Center of the Internal Security Agency (CAT ABW), where the representatives of the American delegation acquainted themselves with the operation of the Center, which gathers delegated officers of services and state institutions that deal with combating terrorism. The elementary goal of CAT is to coordinate the activities led by services and state institutions regarding the exchange of information concerning counterterrorism.
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Joint Polish-American Counterterrorism Working Group was established in Warsaw in 2005 on the initiative of the Polish Minister of the Interior and Administration and the US Embassy.
Meetings take place as a rule every half a year. They provide an opportunity to exchange information about the stage of development on particular issues, which were generated in the course of working meetings within the framework of six working subgroups on: critical infrastructure, migration and cooperation in border issues, financing terrorism, security of people and buildings, military cooperation. In the meetings on working level participate representatives of relevant services and units – they focus on solving particular issues.
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