Matfey Shaheen
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) has announced that their 2017 “Barrier” Operation was successful in capturing no less than 9 key terrorists, and uncovering the identity of at least 90 others.
This constitutes a major victory for the CIS, not only in anti-terrorism, but as demonstrative proof that the organization, formed as a loose confederation of former Soviet States can successfully cooperate. After independence, some Former Soviet States were more successful than others, but it’s a proven fact that in general, nations are stronger together, then apart.
There have been many attempts at forming various international organizations the world over, which only have as much power as the states which constitute them have enthusiasm, but the fact that the CIS is maintaining an active cooperation in counter-terrorism is major proof of concept for the CIS.
The work of their Anti-Terrorism center (ATC) is no easy task, even the US had trouble in its history getting its own intelligence agencies to cooperate and share information internally, which for Russia, is less of a problem as all “armed services” including the security services have a tradition of being heavily obedient to the state.
The idea of the Moscow police refusing a “joint investigation” with the FSB, as seen on American crime dramas, when two law enforcement agencies refuse to cooperate a ridiculous concept to Russians. When the FSB asks, you don’t say no. That being said, Russia cannot legally compel the former Soviet states to cooperate anymore, which is where the ATC comes in, promoting cooperation amongst them.
The ATC is currently headed by Colonel General of Police Andrey Novikov, who brought to our attention the major success of the CIS ATC.
ODINTSOVO /Moscow Region/, February 20. /TASS/. Intelligence services of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) detained nine and unmasked 90 people linked to terror financing during the Barrier operation carried out by financial monitoring groups and intelligence services in 2017, head of the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center (ATC) Colonel General Andrey Novikov said at the 11th meeting of heads of national anti-terrorism centers of CIS member states.
“In 2017, nine people were detained and 90 people linked to terrorism financing were identified during the Barrier operation based on information provided by the CIS ATC on people wanted for terrorism-related crimes and mercenary activities,” Novikov reported.
In addition to that, in 2017 the Tral-Anti-Terror – Identification operation conducted by the CIS Anti-Terrorism Center together with its partners from the penitentiary services of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Russia pinpointed the location of 26 people wanted for terror crimes.
About 20,000 citizens of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) suspected of ties to terrorists and extremists are on the CIS border guard record, Director of the Department for Cooperation in Security and Countering New Challenges and Threats of the CIS Executive Committee Albert Druzhinin said.
“To date, about 20,000 citizens are on the border guard’s record in CIS countries (on suspicion) of involvement in terrorist and extremist organizations,” he reported.
According to Druzhinin, the issue of sharing information in real time to detect and apprehend criminals is currently pending.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
