TNI considers setting up agency to combat terrorism

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Adm. Widodo A.S. has proposed the establishment of a national agency to fight terrorism.

Widodo said on Wednesday Indonesia currently has military information exchange arrangements, as well as military student exchange programs with neighboring countries in its efforts to counter terrorist attacks.

"The efforts, however, must be enhanced by establishing an antiterrorism agency to formulate policies and operational patterns to counter terrorism at any level," he said in a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission I for political, security and foreign affairs.

He said Indonesia's geographical position, as well as its geographical constellation, is vulnerable to infiltrations by international terrorists.

It must be understood that a terrorist attack on a national scale means an attack to the country's sovereignty, he said.

Widodo was accompanied in the hearing by top military leaders, including Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshall Hanafie Asnan, Army Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Kiki Syahnakri, Navy Deputy Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Fred S. Lonan and TNI Chief of Territorial Affairs Lt. Gen. Agus Widjojo.

Widodo said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S. signified a change from conventional to unconventional war and that such a war was certainly a threat to the security and national interests of any country.

The government, in line with its nonaligned policy, has supported efforts to fight terrorism, he said.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda signed a United Nations convention on combating terrorism at UN Headquarters in New York on Monday.

Within the framework of the convention, Indonesia would increase intelligence coordination with fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other countries.

The House of Representatives is expected to follow up the ratification soon in order to make it part of Indonesian law.

Legislators gave a favorable response to Widodo's proposal, saying that the current state intelligence bodies were "weak and lack coordination."

These bodies include the National Intelligence Agency, TNI's Strategic Intelligence Body, the National Police Intelligence Body and other intelligence units at civilian institutions, such as the Immigration Office and the Attorney General's Office. But none of these units was prepared to counter terrorism.

Raja Kami Sembiring Meliala of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle said after the hearing, "Of course TNI has antiterrorism units but without involving the civilians, they cannot do much."

Meliala also said the agency must be led by someone who was familiar with antiterrorism methods.

Rear Air Marshall Bahrum Rasier of the TNI/National Police faction said that beside to conclude policies and operational patterns, the agency must also carry an operational authority at command level.

"It is (the operational command level) required in order to avoid any deviation from their policies," Bahrum said. (tso)