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| Southeast Asia |
| Indonesia: New anti-terror body |
| 2009-12-11 |
| [Straits Times] INDONESIA will escalate its war against violent extremism by setting up a new agency to coordinate counter-terrorism work by a variety of agencies. Officials said the Badan Koordinasi Pemberantasan Terrorisme, or Counter-Terrorism Coordinating Agency, will go into action next month, fulfilling a campaign promise made by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. 'The agency will be the supreme body for counter-terrorism that reports directly to the President,' said retired police inspector-general Ansyaad Mbai, head of the anti-terror desk at the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. While rooting out terrorists and routing their cells remain its key tasks, the new agency will put greater emphasis on prevention. This will include rehabilitating detained terrorists so that they do not return to their old ways after leaving prison, and clamping down on religious radicalism. 'Besides law enforcement work, the new outfit will work closely with civil society groups in preventing terrorism,' said Mr Ansyaad. 'Counter-terrorism work must not be left to the police alone. |
| Posted by:Fred |