Poland's new government changes head of NATO experts' office, in surprise night action

WARSAW, Poland – Poland's government has replaced the head of a new NATO experts' office, saying he failed to obey an earlier dismissal order.

The move appears to be part of efforts by the conservative government, which took office last month, to place loyalists at top state posts.

Around 1 a.m. local time on Friday, a Defense Ministry official entered the building of the NATO Counterintelligence Experts Center in Warsaw with the new head and with some troops.

The official, Bartlomiej Misiewicz, said the previous head, Col. Krzysztof Dusza, has failed to act on a dismissal order last week.

The counterintelligence experts' center is being jointly organized by Poland and Slovakia, within NATO. There was no immediate reaction from NATO.