TNI considers setting up agency to combat terrorism

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)