Office for Foreign Relations and Information 

The task of the UZSI, the civil intelligence service, is to minimise the security and economic risks endangering the CR from abroad. Do you have enough personal and financial means to fulfil this task?

I would welcome the increase of financial funds and consequently the possibility to strengthen the professionally demanding sphere of direct performance by new personnel: it means collection and processing of information. The Czech Republic is not immune to external threats. This has to be kept in mind. It concerns security of all of us. Under the given conditions we do our best. Definitely we do not neglect our duties.

Are you also involved in issues concerning economic security and the support of exports?

We are a tool of the state, which has to solve also these tasks. These issues are complicated, and because of that the decision is on the side of political representation of the state. The intelligence service only provides information to consider them. I will give an example of the radar Vera. To sell radar Vera to China would be a lucrative business in terms of economy. But from foreign-political point of view of the CR it was not good. The final decision was made upon the foreign-political aspects.

Do you think that such radar would not be sold by other member states of NATO, if they had it and that the politicians of these countries would withstand the pressure of economic lobbies?

I think that their decision would be the same. They would not sell the radar to China.

Last year the civil intelligence service was involved in the case of security checks of the National Security Office (NBU). According to the criminal proposals of the organisation Pink Panther the intelligence service violated the law, as it is not entitled to act in the territory of the republic, i.e. not to conduct the security checks. Did the intelligence service violate the law, was it illegal?

This is not an affair of civil intelligence service, not to speak about violation of the law. The Pink Panther organisation had bad entry information. NBU has the responsibility for security checks. NBU has the right to charge with the investigation within the framework of screening any intelligence service, but it must take into account the competencies of such service. The intelligence service realises - according to the request of the NBU - only investigation concerning within its competency. In this case it screens foreign elements in the background of given person, e.g. whether the person does not have contacts with foreign intelligence service, with extremists, traffickers, arms dealers etc. Another obvious mistake is the allegation that a civil intelligence service cannot operate in the territory of the republic. According to the law the service collects and processes information originating in foreign countries important for foreign-political, security and economic interests of the CR. What is important is the type of information. If I can obtain information concerning the endangering of state interests from abroad in the CR, I must obtain it. This is not in controversy with the fact that crux of the activity of the service is abroad.

You have indicated the attack of September 1, 2004 on the armoured car of the Czech ambassador in Baghdad Martin Klepetko as targeted on the CR and prepared in advance. Fortunately there were no casualties. Do you know the culprit?

We know the motivation of the attackers, the way of preparations and the realisation of the attack. We have also certain details concerning the number of the licence plate etc. But we do not know who the attacker was. The investigation is limited by complicated situation in Iraq.

The Communist civil intelligence service, known as 1. Directorate of the SNB, operated allegedly very effectively in Arab and Muslim world. Does it stand also for present civil intelligence service?

The Czechs have a good name in Arab world and in Near and Middle East and the CR good reputation. Local people connect us with the job we have done here. We were constructing factories, bridges, hydraulic engineering works and other useful constructions. This is also an advantage for the activity of the intelligence service. Concerning the activity of the 1. Directorate of the SNB in this region, it can be regarded as effective one. The East-German service Stasi monitored the FRG and Western Europe in a similar way, and former Polish intelligence service monitored the USA. But the service established after the November 1989 was formed as an intelligence service of a democratic state and therefore the heritage of the former 1. Directorate of the SNB is for us unusable.

Till the fall of Iraqi dictator Saddanm Hussain there was a numerous Iraqi community in the CR. What experience do you have with it? Does this Arab and Islamic community represent any security risk for the CR?

Iraqi community was peaceful and content. It had here families and background. The behaviour of our people was friendly, and this is also an important factor. As Arabic or Islamic communities are concerned, lately there have been certain indications of radicalisation. But it does not concern long-term settled people. It regards only young newcomers. Monitoring of this people is in the competency of the BIS.

The Russian General Ilia Shabalkin declared last December that Chechen terrorist Natalia Khalkayevova had contacts with a person in the CR, and that she was supposed to provide money for terrorists. Did Russian side explain it?

No. This case is a classic example of how it works. A general said something concerning our security and reputation. Despite our repeated questions to the FSB, we did not obtain any answer. It is possible to explain this case in two ways. Firstly they continue in the investigation and they do not answer in order not to disturb the investigation. Or it was only disinformation released for as yet unknown reasons.

Do you define current threats to our citizens?

There exists the risk of the penetration of extremism and terrorist attacks related to it. We must always be alert. Currently we do not have any information about possible imminent danger.