Interagency cooperation needed to counter terrorism<\/p>\n
Bantarto Bandoro, Jakarta<\/p>\n
We can make assessments anytime we want. We can also make
\nprobability judgments and build scenarios of what might happen in
\nthe future. But there will always be surprises, no matter how
\ncarefully we protect our environment. The recent Bali bombings
\nreflects the fact that even with the most sophisticated
\nintelligence network and architecture -- if the government ever
\nclaimed to have one -- terrorist attacks cannot always be
\nprevented.<\/p>\n
In the weeks that followed the attacks on Bali, extensive
\ndebate took place over the role intelligence should play in
\npreventing future acts of terror. The public would agree that the
\nbombings in Bali were a clear reflection of another series of
\nfailures by our intelligence system.<\/p>\n
Intelligence is often referred to as a thankless profession
\nbecause it garners attention only through its failures. It has
\nbeen almost two weeks since the bombings, but the authorities
\nhave so far found no clues yet as to who was actually behind the
\nattacks. Now our policymakers seem to be preoccupied mostly by
\nthe need to craft a strategy for combating terrorism.<\/p>\n
Counterterrorism policies and strategy is not only about
\neffective intelligence. It is also about the reliability of
\ninteragency cooperation and effectiveness. Weeks after the Sept.
\n11 terrorist attacks in 2001 in the United States, for example,
\nexhaustive international meetings were conducted to discuss ways
\nof combating international terrorism.<\/p>\n
There was also a call from the UN for the international community
\nto redouble their cooperation in campaigning against terrorism. On
\nthe regional level, ASEAN, for instance, launched an even more
\nsolid regional cooperation after series of terrorist bombings in
\nJakarta. So, the key word here is cooperation.<\/p>\n
In these two cases, reference to multilateral cooperation is
\nat the global and regional level. But true and effective
\nmultilateral cooperation, which will be subject to national
\ninterests, needs to work first and foremost at home. Meaning that
\nonly then are multilateral efforts likely to make real progress.<\/p>\n
On the domestic front, we cannot fight terrorism simply
\nthrough the unilateral action of individual agencies. Internally,
\nwe should not allow ourselves to get bogged down by the issue of
\nwhich agency is most appropriate to counteract terrorism.
\nTerrorism is an evil to be extinguished and must therefore be
\ntackled collaboratively.<\/p>\n
The intelligence function certainly has a role in this, but
\nterrorism also has relevance to other agencies. The bombings in
\nKuta and Jimbaran area prompted many to realize that closer
\ncooperation, coordination and sharing of information between
\nagencies is indeed necessary if similar attacks are to be avoided
\nin the future.<\/p>\n
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's idea that the military
\nshould be involved in the fight against terrorism is assumed to
\nbe based on this rationale. The majority of population look to
\nthe government to provide a safe and secure environment in which
\nthey can go about their normal daily lives.<\/p>\n
Acts of terrorism will not only ruin the international image
\nof Indonesia, as recognized by the President himself, but also
\nundermine the stability of the nation. The fear of the unknown or
\nknown, the when, where and how the terrorists will next strike,
\nshould drive domestic agencies to act in concert. This is to say
\nthat effective interagency cooperation can help strengthen the
\nnation's stand against terrorism.<\/p>\n
The point of controversy here however is the suggestion that
\nthe military be a part in preventing and acting against terrorism
\nby reactivating the concept of the territorial command. But if
\none looks at the indiscriminate effect of the bombing and the
\ngrave threat the terrorist attacks might pose to national
\nsecurity, the involvement of certain functions of the military in
\ninteragency cooperation is not an impossible option.<\/p>\n
If terrorism is seen as affecting national security, as
\nimplicitly stated in the President's speech on the occasion of
\nthe 60th anniversary of the TNI, it is political and military
\nissues that could perhaps end with responses by military forces
\nto prevent and deter terrorist acts.<\/p>\n
If future counterterrorism policy and strategy in Indonesia is
\nto be effective and credible, it should involve the military,
\ndiplomats, police, judiciary, the intelligence community as well
\nas logistical and legislative dimension.<\/p>\n
Combating terrorism in Indonesia is a tough business that
\ncalls for tough, comprehensive and coordinated national measures.
\nThe call by the President for the military to help fight
\nterrorism is not wrong if it was truly meant to be part of
\ninteragency cooperation and to strengthen the fight against
\nterrorism, and not because of any perceived inability of the
\npolice.<\/p>\n
The writer is director of the Scientific Infrastructure and
\nPublication; and chief editor of The Indonesian Quarterly, Centre
\nfor Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta. He can be
\nreached at bandoro@csis.or.id.<\/p>",
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