Articles About Terrorist Activities

Hurriyet

The new unit is supposed to assume strategic not operational tasks and carry out research, analysis and assessments as part of Turkey’s counter terrorism efforts. The new unit will work with a limited number of personnel, specialized in their professions, says minister

A separate unit within the Interior Ministry, the Security Undersecretariat, will be established as part of the reconstruction process designed to fight terrorism, announced Interior Minister Beşir Atalay.

Atalay yesterday met his British counterpart, Jacqui Smith, who came to Turkey for a three-day working visit and they both responded to questions from the press.

Atalay said the reconstruction process would occur within the Interior Ministry and the planned Security Undersecretariat unit would be under the authority of the ministry.

“There will be no structural change to existing security institutions. The new unit will not assume operational tasks, but will be responsible for strategic work and carrying out research, analysis and assessments,” Atalay said, adding that it would also contribute to developing Turkey’s counter-terrorism policies.

The new unit will work with a limited number of personnel, specialized in their professions. Atalay said the respective draft on the anticipated reconstruction process was submitted to Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and would soon be sent to Parliament.

Meanwhile, British Interior Secretary Smith, speaking to the press, said the United Kingdom’s support would continue in Turkey’s ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.

Joint stance with Britain on terrorism
Stating that many Turks lived in England and many British tourists come to Turkey, Smith said both ministries had many common areas for working together, especially the field of terrorism and organized crime.

“Turkish people have suffered a lot from terrorism and so have the British people. We have supported Turkey on the issue and this support will continue. We even included the Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, on our terrorist organizations list,” Smith said, adding that cooperation was also required to combat the terrorist organization al-Qaeda as well as the PKK.

Atalay said cooperation on terrorism between the two countries had developed especially since 2003 when terrorist attacks associated with al-Qaeda targeted the British Consulate-General in Istanbul.

Both countries intensified cooperation after a Strategic Partnership document was signed between the two countries during Erdoğan’s official visit to Britain in 2007, said Atalay, and both countries have developed their cooperation since.

Stating that Britain remained among the top countries that supported Turkey’s European Union membership, Atalay said other cooperation occurred in the field of terrorism, organized crime, information sharing, combating drug addiction, illegal migration and education.

“Cooperation on terrorism between the two countries will be reassessed, and experience and information will be shared during the British minister’s visit. We will also exchange information on the PKK, al-Qaeda and the DHKP-C (Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party/Front) terrorist organizations,” Atalay said.

Source: arama.hurriyet.com.tr/arsivnews.aspx?id=10713922