Radio conversation leaked by Klaus's bodyguard may by fake, inspection says

Prague, Oct 1 (CTK) - The recording of the radio communication between the bodyguards of Czech President Vaclav Klaus during an airsoft gun attack on Klaus on Friday, which was released by media, is probably a fake, General Inspection of Security Forces (GIBS) spokeswoman Radka Sandorova told CTK yesterday.

Commercial Nova television station broadcast the allegedly leaked recording on Sunday.

Sandorova said the GIBS investigation has not proved that the controversial recording presents the real communication of the bodyguards so far. The check of the recording is going on, she added.

She said the recording might be faked, motivated by an effort at harming the reputation of the bodyguards or influence the criminal proceedings.

Nova TV insists on that the recording presents real communication between the guards. "The result of GIBS's investigation has not proved that the recorded communication released by us is untrustworthy," Nova's spokeswoman Marie Fianova told CTK.

Deputy police president Tomas Kuzel said on Sunday he considers the leak surprising because Klaus's guards use a special channel and a special regime to communicate with each other.

"Up to now I've been convinced that this channel cannot be wiretapped," Kuzel said then.

He nevertheless said it cannot be ruled out that the recording leaked from the police.

On September 28, Pavel Vondrous, a 26-year-old welder, repeatedly shot plastic pellets at Klaus from an airsoft gun from a very close distance during a bridge opening ceremony in Chrastava, north Bohemia.

Klaus's bodyguards did not react during the incident. The police arrested the offender only later, hundreds of metres far from the place of the incident and after he gave an interview to the media.

Jiri Sklenka, head of the police team responsible for Klaus's protection, resigned from his post in reaction to the incident, which the GIBS is also investigating over possible breach of duty by the guards.

Vondrous said planned the action beforehand, wanting to point to the intolerable behaviour of the government.

"This system has completely failed and it is necessary to say it resolutely," he said. Klaus is one of those representing the system, he said.

The police accused Vondrous of breach of the peace.