############################################################ AUSTRIA: FREEDOM PARTY-POLICE ALLEGATIONS Police Believed Order Came from Haider VIENNA. Several Austrian police officers under investigation for allegedly handing over confidental police information to the populist-right Freedom Party say they believe the order came from the party's former leader, J�rg Haider, according to press reports published over the weekend. The Format and profil newsmagazines both reported that Mr. Haider's closest aides had demanded information on political opponents from police officers who were Freedom Party members, telling them "the boss needs it." Investigators, the reports said, think this points directly to Mr. Haider. The Austrian Interior Ministry, meanwhile, announced that several police officials would be suspended on Monday. The affair began when a former police officer and member of the Freedom Party, Josef Kleindienst, announced that he had provided the party with information from the central police computer. Last week, state prosecutors launched an official investigation against Mr. Haider and other high-ranking members of the party, which is the junior partner in Austria's coalition government, for suspected abuse of power. Also being investigated are Justice Minister Dieter B�hmdorfer, who was the Freedom Party's lawyer before taking office. (dpa) October 29 Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung 2000 ############################################################
