Capacity building for combating terrorism

Capacity building for combating terrorism

Bantarto Bandoro, Editor, 'The Indonesian Quarterly', Centre for Strategic
and International Studies, (CSIS), Jakarta

bandoro@csis.or.id

Of all centuries, the 21st has experienced the most
revolutionary changes, particularly due to rapid developments in
the field of technology. Products that use highly sophisticated
technology have mostly been used to advance the political
interests of given groups or states. It is one of the great
ironies of the recent history of mankind, however, that terrorist
groups have made the most of technological development as they
attempt to change the policies of certain states.

Incidents such as the World Trade Center, Bali and Marriott
bombings indicate that terrorist groups were able to evade the
security apparatus and that the attacks were also not detected,
even by the country whom many consider to be the most
technologically advanced of all. That series of bombings set in
motion a new commitment for the international community to combat
international terrorism.

A capacity at either the state or regional level to combat
terrorism will have to be built if the international community is
to be seen as credible, effective, capable and committed enough
to combat international terrorism.

As the threat of terrorism continues to haunt the Asia-Pacific
region, it will host a series of meetings to discuss how the
region should tackle the threat of terrorism.

One of these will be the Regional Meeting on Terrorism, co-
sponsored by the governments of Indonesia and Australia and due
to be held in Bali on Feb. 4 and Feb. 5. A conference on the
police response to terrorism was also held in Bali this week to
boost coordination and information-sharing in the global campaign
against terrorism.

From all these meetings, the international community
recognized international terrorism as a serious threat to the
regional and global order and that new and fresh approaches
needed to be developed to arrive at a regional response to
terrorism that had not been tried before.

Terrorism is a common threat to humankind that must therefore
be countered by a common strategy, embracing all types of
measures and all countries. The danger of terrorism is something
that the region can no longer underestimate. Terrorism should not
be feared; it must be confronted at all costs.

The Regional Meeting on Terrorism, and other future meetings
on counterterrorism too, are intended to develop regional
capacity to address the issue of terrorism in a more
comprehensive manner. Because terrorism will be with us for
millennia, the emphasis of the meeting is likely to be on long-
term, capacity-building measures toward developing common ground
rules and more effective coordination and cooperation in law
enforcement and information-sharing between the countries in the
region.

An understanding of the regional meetings as part of capacity
building for combating global terrorism is unlikely to be
comprehensive unless we understand the meaning of capacity
itself.

There is a close relationship between capacity and capability
-- one that is intertwined -- just like a water tank whose size
defines its capacity to contain or receive, but the potential of
that capacity is only fulfilled when the tank has ability to be
filled. Regional meetings as a form of capacity building are seen
in terms of acquisition or development of sustained and long-term
capabilities in combating terrorism.

It is important, therefore, that the meeting be geared to
produce desired antiterror measures and policies, one that
clearly reflects the regional capacity to face the current as
well as future threat of terrorism. It is also important for the
participating countries of that meeting to demonstrate their
determination to move the region toward greater heights of
victory in the war against terrorists.

Capacity building is thus a key strategy for the countries in
the region to turn around the present situation so as to further
prevent the region from becoming the target of terrorist
activities, eradicate terrorism, disrupt the network and secure
safety in the international community.

If one observes carefully the series of regional meetings on
terrorism from capacity-building angles, it clearly reveals three
important aspects: (1) the capacity desired by the region is not
passive, but is part of continuing process; (2) the meetings, to
ensure that resources and the way in which they are utilized, are
central to development of capacity; and (3) it requires that the
overall context within which organizations -- either within the
states, such as the police or intelligence agency, or within the
region such as ASEAN -- undertake their functions will be a key
consideration in the strategy for developing capacity for
combating terrorism.

Capacity is thus the power of organizations and systems, both
of which are built upon the basic idea that terrorism must be
confronted at all costs and levels, to perform and produce
counterterrorism measures more properly and effectively. The
severity of terrorist threat and the worldwide activities of
terrorists must be countered by strong and sustained
international networks.

It is through a reliance on such networks that the coming Bali
meeting is expected to produce a kind of road map or common plan
for combating global terrorism, which includes the establishment
of a central forensic laboratory and a training centre for
antiterror units.

If the meeting is out to develop a successful capacity to
tackle terrorism, it requires a focus on three main areas of
counterterrorism activity. First, to deny terrorists the means to
commit terrorist acts, for example by preventing the financing of
terrorism and the denial of false documents and weapons; second,
to deny terrorists a safe haven and to ensure that terrorists are
prosecuted and/or extradited. Here, it is important to deny
terrorists entry into a country and to reinforce law enforcement
agencies.

Third, to overcome vulnerability to terrorism, for example by
enhancing domestic security measures. This, indeed, is part of
the strategy for capacity building, one that can hopefully
guarantee the sustainability of counterterrorism cooperation.