Antiterror school to open in July

JAKARTA: The government will open an antiterrorism school to help senior police officers from around Asia fight militant religious groups, an official said Tuesday.

President Megawati Soekarnoputri will inaugurate the Jakarta Law Enforcement Center in the Central Java capital of Semarang on July 3, said senior Foreign Ministry official Sugeng Rahardjo.

Police commanders from 24 Asia-Pacific nations will study at the center, to be jointly run by Indonesia and Australia. Governments will choose their trainees. The instructors will be Indonesians and foreigners.

The center will also serve as an information clearinghouse and provide regional governments with anti-terrorism experts.

"We need to constantly upgrade law enforcement skills in identifying bombs, terror threats and how to conduct investigations and share information in these cases," Rahardjo said. -- DPA