Australia announces new antiterrorism accord with RP
Australia announces new antiterrorism accord with RP
Jim Gomez, Associated Press, Manila
Australian Prime Minister John Howard announced on Monday a new
antiterrorism accord with the Philippines and an aid package
designed to bolster Southeast Asia's security shield against
attacks.
Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Keelty and
Philippine Interior Secretary Jose Lina signed the new accord on
cooperation against terrorism and cross-border crime, Howard
said. It builds on an earlier counterterrorism pact signed by the
countries in March.
Howard, in Manila on the first leg of an eight-day Asian trip
to be dominated by security concerns, spoke at a news conference
with Arroyo after holding talks that focused on how to help the
Philippines battle terrorists and the poverty that breeds them.
Australia will also provide a security assistance package that
includes training for Philippine police on forensics and crime-
scene investigations, a laboratory to detect document fraud, the
strengthening of port security, and bolstered links with their
Southeast Asian neighbors in law enforcement and border control,
Howard said.
"This assistance reflects Australia's commitment to working
closely with the Philippines to combat terrorism and the priority
we attach to cooperation to strengthen the region's
counterterrorism capacity," Howard said.
In addition, he said five Australian policemen have arrived to
help investigate a bomb attack last week that killed at least
three people in southern Koronadal city.
Before meeting Arroyo, Howard said he would specifically
discuss reported links between the Moro Islamic Liberation Front
(MILF), a Philippine Muslim separatist group, and suspects in
last year's Oct. 12 bombings on the Indonesian resort island of
Bali which killed 202 people, including 88 Australians.
Howard said there was evidence that another Philippine Moro
extremist group, the Abu Sayyaf, has links with al-Qaeda and its
Southeast Asian ally, Jamaah Islamiyah.
"The Philippines has suffered from terrorism, parts of it have
suffered very severely and we're very conscious of that," Howard
said after arriving on Sunday. "We want in every way we possibly
can to work together."
The Abu Sayyaf is notorious for kidnappings and beheadings, as
well as for bombings and banditry in the Philippines' troubled
south. Washington has deployed forces since last year to help
Filipino troops wipe out the rebels, whose number has declined
from a few thousand to less than 500.
Australia intensified efforts to strengthen counterterrorism
cooperation in the region following the Bali attacks. But many
Southeast Asian officials and groups expressed concern when
Howard announced that he might order pre-emptive strikes against
terrorist cells in some countries before they could launch
attacks on Australian targets.
About two dozen left-wing activists held a brief protest near
the Australian Embassy, holding up placards reading: "Howard U.S.
puppet" and "Howard war-monger." Security guards prevented them
from approaching.
Howard will reopen the Australian Embassy before he leaves on
Tuesday, mending a diplomatic spat that erupted in November when
Australia, Canada and the European Union closed their embassies,
citing "specific and credible" terrorist threats which they
refused to divulge to Philippine officials.
Philippine officials insisted there were no threats and called
the closures an overreaction that harmed the country's image.