Sergiu Tanasescu (medicul echipei de fotbal Rapid Bucuresti), iaunarie 1990:  “Amindoi, el [Generalul Guse] si cu [Generalul] Vlad tineau ocupate in permanenta ‘scurturile,’ ‘T.O.’ telefoane operative.  Practic era imposibil sa li comunice evenimente poate mult mai importante.  Daca intre timp se suna cumva al treilea telefon se repezeau sa vorbeasca si la acela, nelasindu-ne sa primim nici un mesaj.  Chestia ni s-a parut suspecta.“

Revolutionaries in the CC were understandably suspicious of the behavior of General Vlad and General Guse on these phones…as Sergiu Tanasescu recalled in late January 1990:

“Intre noi si el [Guse] se crease insa o stare de tensiune.  Nu ne placea cum vorbea la telefon, parca fiecare fraza avea un subinteles.  De exemplu, au sunat cei de la Boteni care au anuntat ca au doborit niste elicoptere neidentificate.  Guse s-a rastit la ei, ca de unde stiu lucrurile alea, ca actele gasite n-au nici o valoare, ca de ce sint atit de siguri pe ei? etc.  Parca el era la Boteni!  L-am intrebat ce se intimpla.  Ne-a raspuns:  “Niste timpiti, dom-le, unii trag in altii.  Nici o problema.”  Amindoi, el si cu [Generalul] Vlad tineau ocupate in permanenta ‘scurturile,’ ‘T.O.’ telefoane operative.  Practic era imposibil sa li comunice evenimente poate mult mai importante.  Daca intre timp se suna cumva al treilea telefon se repezeau sa vorbeasca si la acela, nelasindu-ne sa primim nici un mesaj.  Chestia ni s-a parut suspecta.“

The following passage is indicative of Vlad’s duplicity and lack of credibility.  Playing dumb about the report of unidentified helicopters, he responds to one of the revolutionary’s questions–suggesting that the helicopters belonged to Vlad’s Securitate–in a ridiculous and unserious manner,”perhaps they are yours?” he says to the man. (!)

1:32 Iulian Vlad: Dar eu nu-nţeleg de ce au plecat elicopterele.
1:34 Bărbat: Ale teroriştilor.
1:35 Iulian Vlad: Care terorişti, domnule, de unde au venit ăştia? Că n-au…
1:38 Bărbat: (neînţelegibil) speciale
1:40 Iulian Vlad: Păi de unde? Ori ale dînsului (arată spre Guşă), ori ale mele tre’ să fie. Altele nu sînt.
1:44 Bărbat: Ale dumneavoastră.
1:46 Iulian Vlad: Ale dumneavoastră, măi copii.
1:47 Bărbat: Au fost şi altele.
1:49 Iulian Vlad: Foarte curioasă treaba asta.
1:51 Bărbat: Sînt de la dumneavoastră cu alte ordine.

1:53 Iulian Vlad: Păi nu am decît trei elicoptere.

transcribed at http://mariusmioc.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/stefan-gusa-alerta-totala-peste-tot-astia-au-fost-niste-dementi-au-doborit-8-elicoptere-o-fi-avut-un-regiment-subteran-pe-undeva-video/

Former USLA Captain Marian Romanescu admitted to journalist Dan Badea in 1991 that the USLA (special anti-terrorist unit) had its own helicopter force, thereby substantiating the suspicion of the unidentified revolutionary that the helicopters in question were “special”/”from a special unit.”  Thus, it is abundantly clear that Vlad’s claim that the Securitate had “just three helicopters” was a bald-faced lie.

Moreover, there was confirmation outside of Romania as to the activity of Securitate helicopters during these days:  specifically, Hungarian Defense Officials.  Not only did the Securitate have “a large number of helicopters” (Def. Min. Ferenc Karpati) but on Saturday 23 December 1989, two of them briefly violated Hungarian airspace near Battonya (which is not far from the Romanian city of Arad).  The idea that somehow Hungarian Defense officials did not know the difference between Romanian Air Force and Romanian Securitate helicopters–given the fact that they were both Warsaw Pact members and given that at least since 1986 tensions between Hungary and Romania had been at an increasingly high level–verges on the implausible.  https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/securitate-helicopters-transmitters-per-hungarian-defense-officials/

Finally, if the following personally stylized “transcript” of former Securitate officer (Military Counter-Intelligence, Directorate IV) Pavel Corut is anywhere close to accurate, it is clear that not only did General Vlad lie about the possibility (i.e. reality) that the unidentified helicopters in question belonged to his Securitate, but he attempted to suggest that the helicopters belonged to Hungary and were transporting Hungarian parachutists into Transylvania (see pages 186 and 187 below, Pavel Corut Floarea de Argint (Editura Miracol, 1994), pp. 182-191 ).

The above passage from page 187 shows pretty clearly that Securitate General Iulian Vlad was intentionally misleading the revolutionaries in the CC and others, as he alleges an invasion of Hungarian parachutists in six Transylvanian cities.  There is absolutely no evidence–either in accounts of the time or since–that Hungarian parachutists turned up in these cities.  Thus, while Vlad attempted to play dumb regarding the suspected presence and activation of Arab terrorists allied with the Securitate on behalf on the Ceausescus–particularly in the Black Sea Coast region–he was seeking to disseminate disinformation about a non-existent–but highly nationalist, paranoid, and potentially resonant, especially perhaps in Transylvania–invasion by neighboring Hungary.  He knew exactly what he was doing and what was transpiring.

In other words, Securitate General Vlad was engaging in what Romanians describe as:  “Hoţul strigă hoţii!  (The thief shouts out:  [Stop] thieves!)