Jordan Times
Monday, January 5, 2004
Arab interior ministers meet on organised crime, terrorism
TUNIS (Agencies) — Interior Minister Samir Habashneh and his counterparts from Arab countries met here on Sunday to draw up guidelines for a document designed to rein in cross-border organised crime and terrorism.Ministers meeting for the 21st session of the Arab Interior Ministers Council were also expected to work on a draft law to address the new offences of cybercrime.
The fight against drug and human trafficking was also on the ministers' two-day agenda.
“The terror issue has priority” because of the serious consequences for “the security, stability and understanding in the world in general and in our Arab region in particular,” said Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in an address read out by his Interior Minister Hedi M'Henni.
“Tunisia condemns terrorist acts committed recently in some parts of the world as well as the perpetrators' contempt for noble human values,” he added.
Ben Ali said they had caused “huge damage to Islam, our fine religion which is based on dialogue, fairness, moderation and tolerance.”
He called on Arab interior ministers to cooperate further so that their countries can “meet the various challenges to their security and especially those linked to terrorism, within international law.”
Saudi Arabia's Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz, the council's honorary president, called “terrorist violence” the greatest threat to Arab security and said it must also be fought at the societal level.
In his address at the meeting, Habashneh said terrorism was a challenge that must be confronted. He stressed the need to mobilise efforts and enhance coordination among Arab countries to face what he described as the sterile thinking and abnormal behaviour of terrorist groups.