This week the Asean Convention on Counterterrorism (ACCT) takes effect. The treaty, signed by Asean leaders in 2007, provides its entry into force 30 days after six Asean members ratify or approve it. Brunei, the sixth country to ratify the convention, deposited its ratification instrument last month.
The convention comes at an auspicious time. It is barely a month since al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs. Since then, governments have stepped up their security efforts in preparation for a reprisal. Two weeks ago, the Pakistani Taliban orchestrated a double-suicide bombing in Pakistan to avenge bin Laden’s death, killing 80 people.
Osama, who masterminded a global jihad (holy war) against the United States, has connected al-Qaeda with various extremist movements around the world, including Southeast Asia.
Southeast Asia has been called al-Qaeda’s Second Front. Its extremist groups in Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines all have apparent links to the al-Qaeda network. While there is no official hierarchy or bureaucratic structure among Southeast Asian jihadists and al- Qaeda, analysts believe they have cooperated in certain operations, and maintained connections with each other. Osama’s death could thus provoke and galvanize Southeast Asian jihadists to action.
The entry into force of the ACCT builds Asean’s united front against terrorism.
The convention provides a concrete framework on counterterrorism, amid various antiterrorism laws in the region. It defines the acts that constitute terrorism, and outlines the areas of cooperation among signatories, including the prevention and suppression of terrorist acts, movement of terrorists or terrorist groups, and terrorism financing.
It also provides for signatories to share and exchange intelligence information, enhance existing regional databases and promote capacity-building through trainings, technical cooperation and the holding of regional meetings. They shall also cooperate in preparing for all forms of terrorism, such as chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) terrorism, cyber-
terrorism and other forms that may come up in the future. The treaty also facilitates extradition of alleged terrorists among signatory countries, as well as mutual legal assistance in investigating and prosecuting them.
Analysts, however, point out that the lack of an effective enforcement mechanism within the Asean blunts the teeth of the treaty’s provision. It leaves much to the political will of signatories to cooperate and use the treaty to its fullest. Hopefully, the death of bin Laden, as well as the continued presence of Southeast Asia’s terrorists, would push our governments to maximize the potential of the ACCT and put an end to extremism in Southeast Asia.
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