Better intelligence gathering called for
Better intelligence gathering called for
The Jakarta Post, Denpasar
President Megawati Soekarnoputri urged the international
community on Wednesday to co-ordinate and create a global
intelligence network that could more effectively fight
international terrorism.
Speaking in the opening of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial
Conference on Terrorism in Nusa Dua, Megawati referred to
Indonesia's experiences hunting the perpetrators of terrorist
attacks in Bali and Jakarta.
With the help of other countries -- Australia, the U.S. and
Japan -- Indonesia quickly arrested and put on trial the
terrorists who killed more than 200 people in Bali in October
2002, she said. With international help the government also found
those responsible for the bombing of the JW Marriott Hotel in
Jakarta in August last year.
"We need to have a better coordination mechanism so that
counter-terrorism operations in this region can be designed and
conducted more effectively. I am of the high expectation that, in
this conference, you will be able to agree on such a crucial
coordination mechanism."
Megawati said terrorist attacks in Bali two years ago had
awakened the world to the dangers of terrorism on a global scale.
Indonesia had committed itself to fight terrorism and hunt
down all its perpetrators and would never bow to terrorists'
threats, she said.
The two-day conference is co-chaired by Indonesia and
Australia, and is attended by 250 delegates, including 20
ministers from 26 countries. Representatives from 10 members of
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are also
present.
Among prominent foreign officials attending the meeting are
Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer, and U.S. Attorney-
General John Ashcroft.
The two top Bali bombing investigators, Bali Police Chief
Ins.Gen. I Made Mangku Pastika and Graham Ashton of the
Australian Federal Police will also address the conference.
Pastika, who won international praise for the Bali bombing
investigation, including praise from U.S. President George W.
Bush, said anti-terror fighters had to be willing to change their
strategies as quickly as the terrorists changed tactics.
"We never know, the next terrorist attack could be in the form
of sabotage or poisoning, so we have to diversify our thinking,"
Pastika said, as quoted by the Associated Press.
Meanwhile in his speech, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan
Wirayuda told the conference that for the moment, the terrorists
were on the run. However, the international community should not
lessen its alertness, he said.
"While we must keep vigilant at all times, it takes only one
successful attack by terrorists to make their day," Hassan said.
At the conference, Indonesia and Australia signed an initial
agreement to exchange information on money laundering and the
financing of terrorism, in an addition to eight anti-terrorist
agreements already signed by the two countries.
"Cooperation between countries to attack money-laundering
activities is a significant contributor to fighting transnational
crime, including terrorism," said Australian Attorney General
Philip Ruddock, as quoted by Agence France-Pressee.
The two neighbors said their unprecedented joint investigation
into the Bali nightclub bombings of October 2002 was a model for
bilateral cooperation.
"There's a lot of trust that's developed between the
Australian and the Indonesian police through this process,"
Downer said.
During the meeting, the two countries will propose the
creation of an anti-terror center in Indonesia to improve
coordination and training among law enforcers.
Downer said that if agreed to, the center could see more
Australian federal police officers based in Indonesia as a source
of advice and intelligence for the region.
"In our region collectively we have disrupted the Jemaah
Islamiyah network through the capture and detention of well over
200 JI members, but we have not disabled it. Key operatives are
still at large and JI remains highly resilient and committed to
its cause," the minister said.