interpol

Dan Senor's "The Long Arm of Iran" (editorial page, Sept. 29) cited the role of Iran and Hezbollah in the two terrorist attacks in Buenos Aires, in 1992 and 1994, that killed 114 people and injured hundreds.

After long delays and botched investigations by successive regimes, the current Argentine government, led by President Nestor Kirschner, began a far-reaching investigation of the 1994 attack. It resulted in a determination that eight Iranians and one Hezbollah leader were involved in "crimes against humanity" for their link to the terrorist operation.

Argentina forwarded the dossiers to Interpol, the global police organization, with a request for the issuance of nine arrest notices. In March 2007, Interpol's executive committee agreed to do so for six, passing on three Iranians -- former President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, former Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Velayati and former Ambassador to Argentina Hadi Soleimanpour.

Iran challenged the ruling on those named for arrest notices. Consequently, the matter will be considered by Interpol's 186 member states at its next annual general assembly, where decisions are taken by a simple majority. The meeting will take place in Marrakesh, Morocco, Nov. 5 to 8.

Not surprisingly, Iran has launched a diplomatic offensive to garner support. Meanwhile, President Kirschner, in his address to the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 25, decried the global scourge of terrorism and denounced Iran's lack of cooperation. He appealed to U.N. member states to support Argentina's bid for the arrest warrants at the upcoming Interpol gathering.

Will Argentina's principled call for justice be affirmed by other governments? Or will Iran's heavy-handed effort to obstruct justice allow the terrorist-sponsoring nation to get away with murder -- literally? How each member country votes will say a great deal about its stance on combating terrorism THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY'S (CARICOM) Advance Passenger Information System is working extremely well.

That is according to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs and Development, Mia Mottley, who was speaking on Thursday night at the Barbados Customs Brokers and Clerks Association and the Caribbean Association of Customs Brokers' Third Biennial Conference at Savannah Hotel.

"Many people may not be aware that everyday since the middle of February there has been a CARICOM Centre here in Barbados, a subsidiary of the Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS) that takes all the data of every passenger coming into the region on commercial private airlines, commercial cruise ships and boats and those names are vetted against established INTERPOL databases," said Mottley.

Once they are on the CARICOM watch list, they could then be processed, she noted.

Pointing out that the system "has been working well for the region", Mottley said that "this is undoubtedly a significant legacy from the hosting of Cricket World Cup".

She also said that the region was lauded for its effectiveness in implementing such a system.

"We have received the assistance of INTERPOL in particular and we were able to do so in circumstances, such that the secretary-general of INTERPOL, the week after Cricket World Cup had finished, was able to present himself with evidence before the Congressional Judicial Subcommittee in the United States Congress and was able to indicate that the Caribbean 'became the first region in the world to effect real time vetting of persons across its borders,'" she said. (BGIS)
Yasiin Mugerwa
Parliament

THE government has received a detailed list of the world's 'most wanted' terrorists ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting next month.

Internal Affairs State Minister, Matia Kasaija told Parliament's Chogm Select Committee yesterday that the list was handed to the government by the International Police (Interpol).

The list is described as a "red notice" by Interpol.

"We have obtained a list of the top terrorists because we don't want surprises," Mr Kasaija said. "This is specifically to strengthen our security alertness especially at our entry points. We want our people to feel secure and live in peace."

The Chogm Committee is chaired by MP Onyango Kakoba (Buikwe West).

Interpol's 'red notice' is intended to help the police identify or locate criminals, Mr Kasaija said.

The persons on the list are wanted by national jurisdictions or international criminal tribunals on charges amounting to international terrorism, he said. Interpol is the world's principal police organisation, with 186 member countries. It was established in 1923 to facilitate cross-border police co-operation. It supports and assists all organisations, authorities and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.

The list follows a recent communication from Interpol Chief for Eastern Africa Awaid Dahia, who confirmed that Interpol would deploy personnel in the country ahead of Chogm.

"The Inspector General of Police wrote to Interpol requesting for assistance during Chogm. We provide technical assistance during major events worldwide," Mr Dahia said at the close of a recent anti-terrorism training course at the Uganda Management Institute in Kampala in August.

Mr Kasaija refused to name suspects on the list. "We cannot divulge this information at the moment for security reasons. Since terrorism has become a global problem, it should be addressed with joint efforts and resources," he said.

But information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the American internal intelligence organisation says there are 189 alleged terrorists but does not name them.

The Interpol 'red notice' is recognised in all member countries as having the legal value to serve as a basis for provisional arrest.

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Mr Kasaija told the committee that security monitoring exercises would be carried out by both the Uganda Police and Interpol in collaboration with other government agencies.

According to information from the Interpol website, action is taken within the limits of existing laws in different countries and in the spirit of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Interpol's constitution prohibits any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.

Meanwhile, Mr Kasaija said that during Chogm, some roads would be closed to the public. "There will be some bit of inconveniences. We are going to limit the use of Chogm roads and the number of taxis in the city to ease the movement of delegates," he said.