INDONESIA: European Union pledges long-term support for counter-terrorism in the Asia Pacific region

Record ID: 352024

  • Title: INDONESIA: European Union pledges long-term support for counter-terrorism in the Asia Pacific region
  • Date: 2nd February 2006
  • Summary: (EU) JAKARTA, INDONESIA (FEBRUARY 2, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE BY EUROPEAN UNION COUNTER-TERRORISM COORDINATOR GIJS DE VRIES; MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN UNION COUNTER-TERRORISM COORDINATOR GIJS DE VRIES, SAYING: "Al Qaeda today is less of a centrally directed operational force, and it is more of an inspirational force from which certain people der
  • Embargoed: 17th February 2006 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Indonesia
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA67LNTTKZS91O9YEFYZ1287SZD
  • Story Text: The European Union has pledged a long-term support for its Asia Pacific counterparts in the worldwide fight against terrorism.
    Speaking on Thursday (February 2, 2006) after meeting with law enforcement and intelligence officials in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gijs De Vries stressed the importance of keeping up with the evolving nature of "international jihadism".
    "Al Qaeda today is less of a centrally directed operational force, and it is more of an inspirational force from which certain people derived inspiration to launch themselves to violent activities. That has perhaps complicated the threats posed by international jihadism. So I think we are aware in this region and elsewhere, the threat is likely to be with us for a considerable period of time and that poses a threat to economic development and that we must do everything we can to combat it in a way which is compatible with international human rights standard," Vries told a news conference.
    The EU has expanded security cooperation in the light of the London bomb attacks last July that killed 52 people and train bombings in Madrid in 2004 that killed 191.
    The bloc recently endorsed its counter-terrorism strategy paper, which set out four objectives for joint EU action to combat terrorism: prevent, protect, pursue and respond.
    On top of the list was the recognition for security services to better identify the recruitment methods of Islamist militants and spot young people at risk of being drawn into terrorism.
    Indonesian police are currently investigating possible links between a purported new militant network and al Qaeda, with initial indications showing it was set up by two key Malaysian radicals.
    Police announced on Monday (January 30) that documents seized in November showed Noordin M. Top had proclaimed himself leader of a group called Tanzim Qaedat al-Jihad network, or Organisation for the Basis of Jihad.
    Top has been Southeast Asia's most wanted Islamic militant since Indonesian anti-terrorism police killed his associate, Malaysian Azahari bin Husin, in November in a shootout in East Java that coincided with raids in which the documents were found.
    An expert in recruiting young suicide bombers among Indonesia's impoverished masses, Top eluded capture at the time but was believed by authorities to still be in Indonesia.
    Top and Azahari were also key members of Jemaah Islamiah, a shadowy network long seen as the regional arm of al Qaeda. Indonesian authorities have blamed Jemaah Islamiah for a number of major bombings against Western targets in recent years.
    "I have every confidence in the quality of law enforcement here to feel that the chance of getting him is high but it won't be easy. No one can expect short term miracles. But even when Mr. Noordin would be arrested, there would still be others that might continue this line of work," Vries said.
    Vries also highlighted the ever-present risk of a terrorist attack in the Malacca Strait -- the strait shared by Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
    "As we are facing a long-term threat, it's important for the intention to remain focused on this part of the world. Clearly risks to the (Malacca) Strait would be of great significant to East Asia in particular in terms of economic development and the provision of oil. So this remains one of the world's potential risk areas. There are several others, the threat certainly is not limited to the Strait, but it remains something to bear in mind and to continue to focus on, to increase international cooperation between the countries of the region," Vries said.
    The narrow, strategic Malacca Strait is a 805-km (500-mile) waterway linking Asia with the Middle East and Europe and carries some 50,000 vessels a year.
    It also carries some 40 percent of the world's trade, including 80 percent of Japan's and South Korea's oil and gas and 80 percent of China's oil.
    The London insurance market in 2005 classed the Malacca Strait a 'war risk' zone -- adding the sea lane to a list of 21 areas such as Iraq and Colombo that it deemed high risk and vulnerable to war, strikes and terrorism.
    The U.S. Pacific Fleet warned on Wednesday (February 1) that a maritime terrorist attack in the strait could send economic shockwaves around the world even if it was not a major strike.
    The four Southeast Asian nations guarding the Malacca Strait has begun a major joint air patrols over the sea lane in September 2005 to combat piracy and terrorist threats.
    Indonesian waters pose the world's great piracy risk, accounting for almost 30 percent of reported attacks in 2005, said the International Maritime Bureau, an ocean crime watchdog.
    Global piracy fell, however, in the past year, from 329 attacks in 2004 to 276 in 2005, with Indonesian attacks down from 94 to 79 and attacks in the Malacca Strait falling from 38 to 12.
    The bureau acknowledged anti-piracy operations by Indonesia, which saw gangs of pirates captured in 2005, for the fall.
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