Govt to atep up antiterror efforts

Adianto P. Simamora and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

The government said on Friday it would work on improving the country's counterterror capabilities, including upgrading the existing antiterror desk and enacting tougher antiterror laws akin to Malaysia's Internal Security Act (ISA) following several deadly bomb attacks here over the past few years.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Widodo Adi Sucipto said that the existing antiterror desk at his ministry was not working effectively due to its limited powers.

"We think it has a number of limitations. Therefore, there will be improvements made to the desk's capabilities," he told reporters after a Cabinet meeting on Friday that discussed measures to curb terrorism in the country.

The antiterror desk might remain under his supervision or be placed directly under the President, Widodo added.

It would be manned by capable personnel, and be given clear status and powers so as to establish comprehensive national antiterror policies and to implement them.

Widodo also said that the government was reviewing the country's antiterror legislation.

National Police chief Gen. Sutanto stressed the urgent need for tougher antiterror legislation.

He pointed as an example to the Internal Security Acts in Malaysia and Singapore as well as tough antiterror laws in the United States and other countries that "give room to the police to move quickly and effectively" against the terrorists.

Minister of Defense Juwono Sudarsono said that the government was considering enacting "emergency legislation" to deal with terrorism.

The move to review the country's antiterror laws comes after a second round of bomb attacks on Bali that killed 20 people and the three suicide bombers. Visiting Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Alexander Downer has expressed concern over Indonesia's antiterrorism laws, and offered to send experts to help the country tighten up the legislation.

Widodo said that the review of antiterror policies was urgent as "terror is a real and present threat."

"The modus operandi of the terrorists has improved, which can be seen with the suicide bombings, the targets are not specific and involve public places. This must be faced by all components of the nation," he said.

Besides conducting a domestic policy review, the government is to also conduct a review of the Southeast Asian antiterrorism agreement.  Marty Natalegawa, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that such a review was needed to identify both the strengths and weaknesses of the agreement.  "After the Oct. 1 Bali bombings, we plan to review the implementation of counterterrorism efforts in the region. This internal review will identify the advantages and disadvantages of the agreement," he said.  The members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to share intelligence information as part of the effort to prevent terrorist attacks.