Building Regional Capacity in Counter-Terrorism

Building Regional Capacity in Counter-Terrorism

Neighbouring countries will be assisted with a greater capacity to counter-terrorism and serious crime in our region under measures announced today by Attorney-General Philip Ruddock and the Minister for Justice and Customs, Senator Chris Ellison.

As part of a $92.8 million package to enhance counter-terrorism capacity in our region, the Australian Government will provide the Australian Federal Police (AFP) with funding of $25.0 million over four years, and the Australian Customs Service with $7.1 million over three years. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs will receive the remaining funding for a range of measures to boost the capacity of regional countries to combat the threat of terrorism.

The AFP will expand its program of investigative and specialist training currently delivered to regional law enforcement partners through facilities like the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation.

The funding will go towards running offshore exercises and training with our regional partners as well as to increase the number of counter-terrorism advisers working in the AFP’s international liaison officer network. An increased AFP presence in our region will both enhance cooperation and assist the AFP in its efforts to combat terrorism.

The funding will also support the roll-out to high priority locations of a custom-built Case Management and Information System (CMIS) developed for use in overseas jurisdictions.

Specialist forensic and technical training for law enforcement agencies in the region will also be enhanced. A new specialist Bomb Data Centre will be established in Thailand, creating a regional centre of expertise in bomb data analysis.

The funding for Customs will be used to improve border control capability and coordination in the South-East Asian region.

This will build on early progress made under the Customs Sulu and Celebes Seas regional counter-terrorism initiative that includes assistance activities such as training for appropriate regional border control agencies in intelligence, ship search, chemical precursors (explosives and drugs), counter-terrorism awareness, commodity identification, and passenger control.

The provision of relevant border technologies will include dual-purpose (explosives and drugs) trace detection systems in high risk Southeast Asian regional ports.

The package reflects the Australian Government’s commitment to strong engagement and cooperation with our regional partners on terrorism.

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