Global unity against terror urged
By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer
The need to collaborate with foreign governments to combat the spread of international terrorism has never been greater, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge said yesterday at an international conference here.
Ronen Zilberman • Associated Press
Ridge's comments come at a time when Islamic extremists are peppering Southeast Asian nations with bomb attacks, kidnappings and shootings in an attempt to undermine government control in several regions.
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge speaks at the Asia-Pacific Homeland Security Summit and Exposition in Waikiki.
The security concerns in the Pacific have not translated into any threats against Hawai'i, Ridge said.
"Terrorism is a global scourge, not a regional one," said Ridge, speaking to about 900 delegates at the second Asia-Pacific Homeland Security Summit and Exposition, and during a news conference with Gov. Linda Lingle.
"The battle we wage against the terrorists is not one fought by America alone. It is fought by every nation and every citizen that stands on the side of hope and liberty. And the means to win this war rests in our ability to engage the world community, work together multilaterally, and foster healthy dialogue and strategic cooperation among our allies," Ridge said.
This week's conference brings together top government leaders, senior business executives and international experts in security, technology and counterterrorism for three days of talks in Waikiki.
Representatives from more than 40 nations are attending the summit, which runs through tomorrow.
"The countries that have gathered in Hawai'i for the summit are different in many ways, but we also have much in common," Lingle said yesterday in her opening remarks.Ê"We all share a love of freedom, and we are all determined to win the global war on terror."
In comments made after his speech, Ridge said he would rate Hawai'i's security and homeland defense plan "pretty high."
Hawai'i has received more than $74 million in federal money for homeland security since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the majority of it going to police and firefighters who would be the first to respond to a terrorist attack.
Ridge said it is crucial that nations share information, and he touted a post-Sept. 11 initiative that calls for every foreigner who enters and leaves the United States to be fingerprinted, photographed and subjected to background checks.
It has been in place at U.S. airports and seaports for nearly a year and eventually will be extended to every land border crossing nationwide.
"Biometric information can provide an added layer of security, while at the same time bring travelers across our borders with greater ease and convenience," Ridge said.
Ridge acknowledged that since Sept. 11, foreigners wanting to travel to the United States for business, education, or leisure travel have faced some significant hardships and he said that no system is perfect. He stressed the importance of rolling out the "welcome mat" and said his department is working to ease the visa process and expedite background checks.
Ridge also stated that maritime security is improving and said several initiatives created under the Bush administration are critical in securing global trade routes. He mentioned the Container Security Initiative, which places U.S. Customs inspectors at 26 foreign ports including Singapore, Hong Kong and Malaysia, and the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code, a set of global seaport security standards, as key components in the effort to secure global trade routes.
One-third of the world's shipping and half of its oil pass through the straits of Southeast Asia every year.
While the United States has taken significant steps to protect itself against future terrorist attacks, countries in Southeast Asia are struggling to suppress radical Islamic groups bent on waging terror campaigns against various governments.
Indonesia, the country with the largest per-capita Muslim population in the world, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia are facing significant problems posed by radical Islamic fundamentalist groups with loose affiliations to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terror network.
These groups, including Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines and Jemaah Islamiya in Indonesia and other areas, are not part of al-Qaida's structured administration, rather they draw financial and logistical support from the network based on the belief that they share similar religious and political ambitions.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Reach Peter Boylan at 535-8110 or pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.
