Pacific nations unite vs. terrorists<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Denpasar<\/p>\n
Asia-Pacific nations agreed on Thursday to intensify cooperation
\nin fighting terrorism in the region and to create common legal
\nmechanisms that would make it easier to prosecute and extradite
\nsuspected terrorists.<\/p>\n
They also set up two working groups -- law enforcement and
\nlegal framework -- to bolster evidence and intelligence sharing,
\nencourage extradition treaties and improve cooperation among the
\npolice forces of the Asia-Pacific region.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, which has been struck by several terrorist attacks
\nsince December 2000, is to chair the law enforcement working
\ngroup, which is tasked with conducting information sharing and
\nexchanging operational experiences, crime data and intelligence.<\/p>\n
The legal framework working group, on the other hand, is to be
\nled by Australia. The group will be responsible for identifying
\nareas for improvement and assistance in order to strengthen
\nregional legal framework.<\/p>\n
\"... including the areas of mutual legal assistance and
\nextradition for terrorist related offenses, implementation of UN
\nSecurity Council resolutions and UN counterterrorism related
\nconventions,\" Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said
\nat the end of a two-day regional conference on counterterrorism
\nin Bali on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Ministers and other senior officials from more than two dozen
\nnations -- including U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft --
\nconvened in a heavily guarded beach resort in Nusa Dua, Bali on
\nWednesday and Thursday and resolved to give a transnational
\nresponse to a transnational threat.<\/p>\n
They also urged states to improve maritime and aviation
\nsecurity, stop the flow of terrorist funding and prevent the
\nillegal movement of nuclear, chemical and biological materials,
\nthe statement said.<\/p>\n
The agreements, however, fell short of enacting more far-
\nreaching proposals that proponents say would be most effective in
\nfighting terrorism, such as establishing a regional police force
\nor a region-wide extradition treaty.<\/p>\n
Last July, terror suspect Mas Selamat Kastari, who is accused
\nby Singapore of plotting to crash a plane into Changi airport,
\nwas sent to prison in Indonesia for 18 months for immigration
\noffenses. The two neighbors have no extradition agreement.<\/p>\n
The ministers also called on states to take measures \"to
\nprevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction,
\ntheir means of delivery and materials and technologies related to
\ntheir manufacture\".<\/p>\n
Delegates said the Bali conference served as an opportunity to
\nkeep the terrorism issue at the top of government agendas.<\/p>\n
\"We may not achieve 100 percent of our objectives, but without
\ntalking we may achieve zero,\" Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed
\nHamid Albar said.<\/p>\n
Downer on Wednesday said more terror attacks were
\n\"inevitable,\" and urged delegates to build on the police
\ncrackdown and scores of arrests that have damaged the al-Qaeda-
\nlinked Jamaah Islamiyah terrorist group, blamed for the Bali
\nattack and others.<\/p>\n
\"Jamaah Islamiyah has been using Southeast Asian countries
\nthat have open societies like Thailand, Malaysia and the
\nPhilippines ... to move around,\" said Thailand's Deputy Minister
\nfor Foreign Affairs, Sorajak Kasemsuvan.<\/p>\n
In an interview with AP, he said last August's arrest of
\nHambali, Jamaah Islamiyah's purported operations chief, was the
\nresult of \"very good\" intelligence sharing among different
\ngovernments.<\/p>\n
Ashcroft, meanwhile, urged senior Asia-Pacific officials to
\nboost cooperation but stopped short of offering Indonesia what it
\nmost wants -- access to Asia's leading terror suspect, Hambali,
\nnow in American custody.<\/p>\n
Underscoring the continued threat of terrorism in Indonesia,
\nthe world's largest Muslim country, officials announced on
\nThursday that police on the island of Sulawesi had seized 19
\nbombs and five homemade firearms earlier this week.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pacific-nations-unite-vs-terrorists-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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