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French Daily: 'Face Of Terror' Front Page

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Libération, Nov. 19, 2015

"Abdelhamid Abaaoud, The Face Of Terror" writes French daily Libération on its Thursday front page, as French experts were trying to determine whether the suspected mastermind of the Nov. 13 Paris attacks was killed in a Wednesday police raid on a terrorist lair.

At least two individuals were killed in the massive seven-hour assault: A woman identified as Abaaoud's cousin, is thought to have blown herself up with a suicide vest; another body was found riddled with bullets. Paris prosecutors confirmed Thursday afternoon that the body was indeed identified as Abaaoud.

Citing senior European officials, the Washington Posthad been the first to report that Abaaoud was the man killed in the raid, during which French police forces reportedly fired 5,000 bullets.

Five police officers were wounded during the assault, which led to the arrest of seven people.

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Economy

Lex Tusk? How Poland’s Controversial "Russian Influence" Law Will Subvert Democracy

The new “lex Tusk” includes language about companies and their management. But is this likely to be a fair investigation into breaking sanctions on Russia, or a political witch-hunt in the business sphere?

Photo of President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda

Polish President Andrzej Duda

Piotr Miaczynski, Leszek Kostrzewski

-Analysis-

WARSAW — Poland’s new Commission for investigating Russian influence, which President Andrzej Duda signed into law on Monday, will be able to summon representatives of any company for inquiry. It has sparked a major controversy in Polish politics, as political opponents of the government warn that the Commission has been given near absolute power to investigate and punish any citizen, business or organization.

And opposition politicians are expected to be high on the list of would-be suspects, starting with Donald Tusk, who is challenging the ruling PiS government to return to the presidency next fall. For that reason, it has been sardonically dubbed: Lex Tusk.

University of Warsaw law professor Michal Romanowski notes that the interests of any firm can be considered favorable to Russia. “These are instruments which the likes of Putin and Orban would not be ashamed of," Romanowski said.

The law on the Commission for examining Russian influences has "atomic" prerogatives sewn into it. Nine members of the Commission with the rank of secretary of state will be able to summon virtually anyone, with the powers of severe punishment.

Under the new law, these Commissioners will become arbiters of nearly absolute power, and will be able to use the resources of nearly any organ of the state, including the secret services, in order to demand access to every available document. They will be able to prosecute people for acts which were not prohibited at the time they were committed.

Their prerogatives are broader than that of the President or the Prime Minister, wider than those of any court. And there is virtually no oversight over their actions.

Nobody can feel safe. This includes companies, their management, lawyers, journalists, and trade unionists.

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