Fears grow of terrorist attacks in Poland following the Madrid bombings
The fall out from the deadly terrorist attacks in Madrid over a week ago continues. Poland, one of the United States staunchest allies says it may pull its troops out earlier than planned and now its President Alexander Kwasniewski says his country was misled about the reasons for going to war in Iraq - Saddam Hussein's alleged weapons of mass destruction. Michael Kubicki has been gauging the public mood after the Madrid bombings.
Galeria Mokotow in downtown Warsaw is Eastern Europe's biggest shopping mall, complete with a bowling alley, multiplex cinema and countless cafes. On a normal weekday, let alone over the weekend, it is packed to capacity. But since the Madrid terrorist attacks, there have been far fewer visitors. Rumours circulate around the Polish capital that this American-style mall, is a perfect place for a terrorist attack. With a major international economic summit scheduled in Warsaw next month, ordinary citizens' like this woman appear very anxious.
WOMAN: "We're in the same line. Yes, of course I'm scared. I'm thinking what about the metro, what about our streets. About this international event that is going to be in Warsaw, what will happen? I don't know." Poland has some 2500 troops in Iraq and heads a 9-thousand strong multinational force with a Spanish contingent of 1300 soldiers. Following Madrid's decision to pull out, question marks are now raised over Warsaw's continued participation in the US-led operation. However, Polish Prime Minister Leszek Miller says that for Polish troops, a withdrawal from Iraq is out of the question. "It would mark admission that the terrorists are stronger than the entire civilized world. In a moral sense, this would mark a negation of the victims of terrorism. Poland's mission in Iraq should be carried on, but we should leave that country as soon as the new Iraqi authorities are able to make sure that internal security is ensured."
Former Polish foreign and defence minister Janusz Onyszkiewicz hopes that there won't be a total pullout of Spanish troops from Iraq.
"If Spain decides to pull out there will be a gap rather difficult to fill in. I hope, however, that with the present mood in Europe, in France and Germany, which clearly indicates that nobody wants to see a failure in Iraq, Spain may reduce its contingent but I don't think it will pull out altogether".
The latest developments in Spain have given new impetus to those political forces in Poland, which are against the presence of Polish troops in Iraq. The opposition League of Polish Families has called for a referendum on the issue, saying Poland could be the next target of terrorists. Matthew Day of Poland Monthly...
"The Polish population has been on the whole very luke-warm when it comes to the government stance on Iraq and Polish involvement there. Now, what with Spain suffering from terrible attacks and the government there talking about withdrawing its troops, it's going to create a lot of problems. It boosted the general unease that many Poles have that Poland could be attacked next, because it's one of the United States' premier allies in the war on terror"
New opinion polls show almost 80 percent of Poles genuinely scared of possible terrorist attacks, there is a growing sense here that the arguments of tough-talking politicians are going over the heads of ordinary Warsaw shoppers who just want to feel safe in places like Galeria Mokotów.
