Asian-Pacific Countries Commit to Counter-Terrorism Enforcement as Indonesia Presses U.S. For Access to Hambali

On February 5, 2004, at the end of a two-day conference ministers from 33 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries committed to strengthening the ?political momentum? for counter-terrorism and promised to take practical steps to improve cooperative efforts. At the margins of the meeting the Indonesian Government indicated its increasing frustration with U.S. delays in giving it access to Hambali, the Indonesian-born al-Qaeda insider accused of masterminding the 2002 Bali bombings and other terrorist attacks. On February 5, 2004, the ASEAN ministers announced the establishment of working groups to examine how to improve the way law enforcement agencies cooperate and the region?s legal framework. Hassan Wirajuda, Indonesia?s foreign minister, said the region must strengthen our cooperation and coordination in combating terrorism...[more]