Former fencing champion gaoled

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34126, 12 April 1976, Page 17

Former fencing champion gaoled

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WARSAW, April 11. The love of cars and entertainment of the Polish former world fencing champion, Jerzy Pawlowski, led him to earn money by spying, the Polish Army newspaper, “Zolneirz Wolnoski,” reports.

Pawlowski, a senior officer in the army before his airest last May, has been sen-enced (in Warsaw to 25 years imprisonment for esnionage on (behalf of an unidentified N.A.T.O. country. The newspaper says: “Pawlowski was earning money (for his intelligence work for

11 years, both at home and (through a private account in a Western bank, but when] this turned out io be not 'enough for his love of cars' and entertainment, he established contacts with foreigners and emigre Poles hostile to Poland.” Pawlowski is said to have established his first contacts with Western intelligence officers in 1965, after an international fencing competition in an unnamed Western country, prolonging his stay abroad to undertake spy training. On his return home, he began to collect detailed information on State and military secrets, mainly concerning the organisation and structure of Polish Army units, their commanders, the sites of various military institutions, their purpose, and the way they were guarded. OFFICER FRIENDS Pawlowski, who also reported on certain aspects of Poland’s political and economic situation, the newspaper says, met Western intelligence officers 26 times (in 11 years to convey information and to receive further (instructions. The meetings 'took place in Brussels, Juan jles Pins, Cologne, Mexico, New York, Padua, Paris, and Warsaw.

| The handsome and popular fencing champion had friends ; among senior Polish officers |and various army units, and |he used these friendships for intelligence purposes, “Zolnierz Winoski” says. I “Pawlowski became demoralised,” it adds. “Money was |his supreme aim. To get it [more and more, he abused the credit given to h m by (the authorities and friends.”] ■ Pawlowski, winner of the I gold medal in the sabre event: at the 1968 Olympics in .Mexico, was one of Poland’s post-war sports heroes. I He won the individual I (world sabre title in 1957,1 1965, and 1966, was runnerup for that title four times, [and was in the winning Pol-1 ish team in four world ( (championships — a record! unlikely to be surpassed for a long time. | Bus plunges

Eleven persons died, and 30 were hurt, when a (crowded bus went over a 'precipice after colliding with a lorry near the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. ■