Top police chief condemns FP "intimidation" in "spy scandal"

Verbal assaults on investigators by the right-wing FP were aimed at deterring them, Buxbaum, General Director of Public Security charged late Thursday. They were attempts to stop the investigators clearing up the scandal and trying to find whether there was adequate suspicion for formal charges to be made.

Buxbaum dismissed repeated FP demands for his own resignation. He said he could cope with invective against himself, but categorically rejected insinuations that he was "misusing his office".

The "spy scandal" surrounds allegations that the Freedom Party acquired and misused secret police computer files about its political opponents. Among those under suspicion is ex-FP leader Joerg Haider, who has been questioned in detail by members of the economic crime squad.

The FP claims Buxbaum is pro-Social Democrat. It also claims that the conservative People's Party interior minister, Ernst Strasser, is having inquiries conducted in a one-sided way against it.

On Thursday evening the war of words continued. Social Democratic (SP) opposition leader in parliament Peter Kostelka demanded the resignation of his FP counterpart, Peter Westenthaler.

Westenthaler had behaved in a "scandalous" way in the parliament's internal affairs committee, with violent attacks on police officers conducting the inquiry.

Westenthaler's excesses were "in form and style no longer acceptable", charged Kostelka. The FP responded that his demand for Westenthaler's resignation was "ridiculous."

Strasser again rejected all FP criticism of Buxbaum. The inquiries were into the activities of all sides, and without regard of the prestige or reputation of anyone coming under suspicion.

The "spy scandal" reached new heights this week, even if it was ousted from the headlines by the fire disaster in the Kaprun mountain train with 155 deaths.

There were police searches of the apartments of FP leader in the City of Vienna, Hilmar Kabas, and City FP Party Secretary Michael Kreissl.

Greens MP Peter Pilz alleged afterwards nothing had been found because the FP had been pre-warned and had had time to destroy any incriminating evidence.

This was denied by FP security spokeswoman Helene Partik-Pable, who in turn accused Pilz of having "built up a spy network" against her party.

(la/dpa)