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| Czech PM aide held in raids against organised crime | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Police in the Czech Republic have raided government offices across the country as part of a crackdown on organised crime. | Police in the Czech Republic have raided government offices across the country as part of a crackdown on organised crime. |
| Several people have been arrested, including the most senior aide to Prime Minister Petr Necas. | Several people have been arrested, including the most senior aide to Prime Minister Petr Necas. |
| Some 400 police officers began raiding businesses, government departments and the prime minister's office in the early hours of Thursday morning. | Some 400 police officers began raiding businesses, government departments and the prime minister's office in the early hours of Thursday morning. |
| Mr Necas said he had done nothing "dishonest" and would not resign. | Mr Necas said he had done nothing "dishonest" and would not resign. |
| "I am personally convinced that I did not do anything dishonest and that my colleagues have not done anything dishonest either," he added. | "I am personally convinced that I did not do anything dishonest and that my colleagues have not done anything dishonest either," he added. |
| He said that he expected police and prosecutors to explain why such a large operation was necessary. | He said that he expected police and prosecutors to explain why such a large operation was necessary. |
| Mr Necas is due to appear before parliament on Friday morning. The main opposition Social Democrat party has called on him to resign. | Mr Necas is due to appear before parliament on Friday morning. The main opposition Social Democrat party has called on him to resign. |
| President Milos Zeman has scheduled a meeting on Friday with the prime minister, the chief of police and the leader of the opposition to discuss the crisis, Radio Prague reports. | President Milos Zeman has scheduled a meeting on Friday with the prime minister, the chief of police and the leader of the opposition to discuss the crisis, Radio Prague reports. |
| The raids on officials, MPs and businessmen are unprecedented in their scale and seriousness, the BBC's Prague correspondent Rob Cameron reports. | |
| Two former MPs from Mr Necas's Civic Democratic Party are reported to be among those arrested. | Two former MPs from Mr Necas's Civic Democratic Party are reported to be among those arrested. |
| Police 'visit' | Police 'visit' |
| The head of Mr Necas's office, Jana Nagyova, was among those detained. She is described as his closest adviser. | The head of Mr Necas's office, Jana Nagyova, was among those detained. She is described as his closest adviser. |
| Mr Necas was also "visited" by police and two state attorneys, Interior Minister Jan Kubice said, but gave no further details. | Mr Necas was also "visited" by police and two state attorneys, Interior Minister Jan Kubice said, but gave no further details. |
| Commentators agree that this could be the death blow for an already shaky government, our correspondent says. | Commentators agree that this could be the death blow for an already shaky government, our correspondent says. |
| The raids appear to be connected to a long-running police investigation into links between corrupt businessmen and the state administration, he adds. | The raids appear to be connected to a long-running police investigation into links between corrupt businessmen and the state administration, he adds. |
| In March, the country was gripped by the case of a lobbyist, Roman Janousek, who was alleged to have had huge influence over politicians and officials in Prague. | In March, the country was gripped by the case of a lobbyist, Roman Janousek, who was alleged to have had huge influence over politicians and officials in Prague. |
| Mr Janousek was arrested on suspicion of deliberately running over a woman with his car while drunk, which could incur a jail term of up to 10 years. | Mr Janousek was arrested on suspicion of deliberately running over a woman with his car while drunk, which could incur a jail term of up to 10 years. |