Polish Vice Consul Defects

STOCKHOLM — The Polish vice consul has defected, asking political asylum for himself, his family and that of his brother-in-law, the Foreign Ministry said today.

The diplomat, Witold Grabiec, asked police Jan. 15 for asylum for his wife, two children and the brother-in-law’s family, which was ostensibly in Sweden on vacation, officials said. Security police were questioning Grabiec about any knowledge he may have of East Bloc espionage activities, but the consul appeared to have had no intelligence function at the consulate, said Police Officer Olof Bystrom.