Asia-Pacific police to boost ties in anti-terror drive<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Kuta, Bali<\/p>\n
As the threat of terrorism continues to haunt the region, police
\nfrom 22 Asian and Pacific nations are holding a two-day meeting
\nin Kuta, Bali, to boost coordination and information-sharing in
\nthe global campaign against terrorism.<\/p>\n
"We will share our experience in fighting terrorism and will
\ntry to find ways to prevent a similar event (terrorist attacks)
\nfrom taking place in the future," National Police chief Gen. Da'i
\nBachtiar said on Monday, the first day of the two-day Conference
\non Police Response to Terrorism.<\/p>\n
Police officers from Australia and the United States are
\nattending the conference.<\/p>\n
"Indonesia has a great interest in this meeting as we want to
\nimprove our ability to detect terrorism," Da'i was quoted by the
\nAssociated Press as saying at the opening ceremony.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim country, has been hit by
\nseries of terrorist attacks blamed on regional terrorist network
\nJamaah Islamiyah (JI), which has close links with international
\nterrorist network al-Qaeda set up by Osama bin Laden, the prime
\nsuspect of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in Washington and
\nNew York. JI is believed to operate in Indonesia, Malaysia,
\nSingapore, the Philippines and Thailand.<\/p>\n
Scores of suspected JI members have been arrested in the
\nPhilippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Indonesian courts have
\nconvicted 29 militants for the October 2002 Bali nightclub
\nbombings.<\/p>\n
In Bali, police commanders will share experiences on how to
\ninvestigate terror cases using high-tech equipment such as
\nsophisticated explosives detectors.<\/p>\n
"Terrorism relies on international networks. Some groups come
\nand go. (New) groups, of which we have no knowledge, can appear,"
\nDa'i said.<\/p>\n
Bachtiar also said that Jakarta would soon establish a
\nspecialized antiterror office with 24-hour, seven days a week
\nhotlines, enabling Interpol officers worldwide to request
\ninformation about suspected terrorists.<\/p>\n
He stressed that the establishment of a joint intelligence
\nsecretariat on terrorism in Jakarta would benefit the country in
\nfighting international terrorism.<\/p>\n
"The existence of such a secretariat will make it a lot easier
\nfor police and the government to track down and find out any
\ninformation on local and international terrorist networks," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The idea to establish the joint secretariat, which would
\ninvolve officers from the Indonesian National Police (INP) and
\nthe Australian Federal Police (AFP), will be further discussed in
\nFebruary when ministers from both countries convene a conference
\non combating terrorism in Bali.<\/p>\n
"This (the joint secretariat) is still at the conceptual level
\nand will be brought up at the conference," he said.<\/p>\n
During the Bali bombing investigation, officers from the INP
\nand the AFP displayed an exemplary level of cooperation and
\ncoordination, which led to the arrests of at least 33 members of
\nthe terrorist network responsible for the attack, in which at
\nleast 202 people were killed, including 88 Australian nationals.<\/p>\n
Da'i played down concerns that the existence of such body in
\nJakarta would provide foreign parties with access to mount
\nunfriendly intelligence operations against Indonesia.<\/p>\n
"We should not worry that we will be monitored by other
\ncountries. On the contrary, we will gain a lot of advantages by
\nhaving the joint secretariat here in Indonesia," he assured.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Interpol executive director Willy Deridder hoped
\nthat the conference could strengthen long-term cooperation among
\nthe participating members.<\/p>\n
"Interpol will support and assist any activity that aims at
\nconducting experience- and information-sharing on methods of
\ncombating terrorist networks," he said.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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