Manado (Indonesia), 23 May 2023 – The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) collaborated to organise a two-day Foundational Multi-Agency Training for Law Enforcement and Intelligence Officers on Foreign Terrorist Fighters in Manado, Indonesia. Over thirty-three representatives from various government agencies participated in the event, which is part of the "Enhancing Cross-border Knowledge, Operational Capacity and Information Sharing to Counter the threat posed by Foreign Terrorist Fighters in Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.” The project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and implemented by UNODC with support from subject matter experts from Australia, Canada, Indonesia, and the United States of America.
The training provided insights into the regional terrorism threats, operational and legal frameworks, human rights and gender considerations, and inter-agency cooperation mechanisms for disrupting and investigating the travel, financing, and recruitment of Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs), including online investigations. Tabletop exercises allowed participants to present their response to an FTF case scenario, focusing on the legal basis, investigation stages, evidence collection and handling, and coordination between relevant ministries and agencies.
The event underscored the importance of enhancing the operational capacity of Indonesian law enforcement, intelligence, and border frontline officials in preventing, detecting, and disrupting FTF movements. This training marked the beginning of the project's implementation phase, with plans for further advanced training to strengthen the capacity of relevant agencies in Indonesia.
