CIS secret services should boost activities to head off terror acts

OSH, May 3 (Itar-Tass) - CIS secret services should expand their
possibilities to stave off terror acts as well as to be on the alert to
carry out force actions, if need be. This opinion was expressed by first
deputy head of the Anti-Terrorist Centre (ATC) Moldiyar Orazaliyev,
speaking with reporters on Tuesday.
"We make an accent now on holding joint research measures whose aim is
to ensure security at critically important energy projects," he said.
"This is a principle and a key rule. However, continuity and even totality
of ensuring security largely depends not only on technical means, but also
on quality of efficient guarding of projects.
"In this case, we shall fully put in action the potential of joint and
agreed research measures."
According to Orazaliyev, "the problem of anti-terrorist and
anti-saboteur protection of vitally important energy protects for states
of the Central Asian region, incorporated in the CIS, is of special
importance, since they are often trans-border projects in this area".
"Very often the normal operation of these facilities affects the interests
of several states rather than one country," emphasised ATC deputy chief
executive.
"Consequently, a potentially possible terrorist act, committed, for
instance, at a hydropower scheme in Kyrgyzstan, can entail consequences
which will be important for economic and political security of
neighbouring states - Tajikistan and Uzbekistan."
According to the exercise, started in Osh on Tuesday, a simulated
terrorist organisation plans a large-scale terror act whose aftermaths may
turn into an ecological disaster on the regional scale, including the
region of the Fergana Valley. Incidentally, terrorists plan to carry out
as a "cover" several terror acts and "to capture" administrative buildings
in the city of Osh so as to sidetrack the attention of law enforcement
bodies.
"Thus, it is planned during the exercise simulate schemes of
cooperation to head off planned terror acts," Orazaliyev underlined.
He stressed that the secret services of CIS countries should expand
possibilities to cut short terror acts and to be on the ready all the time
to carry out force operations, if need be.
The exercise that started in Osh on Tuesday, involve specialists from
the CIS Anti-Terrorist Centre, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan
as well as observers from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, the Bureau for Coordination of Struggle against Organised
Crime, the CSTO secretariat, the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional
Anti-Terror Structure and the CIS Executive Committee.