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Fighting terrorism in Latvia
Useful links on terrorism
Global terrorism has become one of the most serious threats to security in the world today, endangering the lives of innocent people and society as a whole.
The tragic events of 11 September 2001 in the U.S.A. may be considered the turning point in world security policy, changing our view of the threat of international terrorism completely. The 11 March 2004 explosions in passenger trains in Madrid, Spain, and on 7 July 2005 in the London transport system, demonstrated yet again that no country in the world can feel safe from terrorist attack. The network of international terrorism has gradually become a body of decentralised, independent groups, basing its actions on radical ideologies. As a result, terrorism becomes even more global and its targets even more unpredictable.
In order to effectively face these threats, a broad spectrum of actions of specialists, expertise and institutions is needed, including diplomatic, interior and strategic services, security structures and financial institutions; mutually co-ordinated measures at both the national and international level.
Fighting terrorism in Latvia
In strengthening the capability of the state to fight terrorism, a Government Action Plan for fighting terrorism has been prepared, and was successfully introduced in April 2003. The Plan improved co-operation of state institutions in measures for the prevention and fighting of terrorism. The main aim of the Plan was to prevent opportunities for terrorists to use the territory of Latvia, its banking system and other means, to achieve their goals. The necessary legislative changes were made, including increasing the authority of law enforcement agencies for monitoring financial transactions. Co-operation between state security services was strengthened, improving the monitoring of import, export and transit of strategically important goods. All the measures and stipulations set out in the Action Plan have been implemented and completed.
In order to strengthen co-ordination among the various state institutions involved in fighting terrorism, a Counter-Terrorism Centre was established under the auspices of the Security Police, and started operations on 1 February 2005. The tasks of this central Latvian counter-terrorism institution include co-ordination of actions of institutions fighting terrorism, ensuring the timely exchange of information, and the compilation and analysis of information on counter-terrorist activities.
In order to perfect the efficiency of the national counter-terrorism system, the Ministry of Interior and the Counter-Terrorism Centre have prepared a conceptual rating scale of levels of terrorism threat.
Latvia has participated in the efforts of international organisations including the UN, NATO, EU, OSCE, and the Council of Europe, to combat global terrorism. Latvia has ratified and introduced all 13 UN Conventions and Protocols which form the basis of international legislation on issues of counter-terrorism, including most recently, the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism.
Within the European Union, Latvia has become involved in a range of practical counter-terrorism initiatives which provide for an increased level of co-operation between investigatory and security services, as well as in judicial matters. According to the EU Declaration on Combating Terrorism (adopted 25 March 2004) and the EU Plan of Action on Combating Terrorism (passed by the European Council on 17-18 June 2004), Latvia has introduced a number of provisions in its legislation aimed at promoting practical co-operation among EU member states in combating terrorism. The EU are drafting a number of regulatory enactments which provide for improvement of the mechanism for exchange of information, witness protection, and funding for the fight against terrorism. Latvia is actively involved in the preparation of such legislation, and fully supports EU efforts to combat terrorism.
Considering the constant development of the technologies and methods used by terrorists, fighting these requires appropriate measures, and close co-operation among participating institutions, at the national and international levels. The fight against terrorism demands constant progress, and in recognising this, the responsible Latvian institutions work diligently to improve the capability of the state to react to the threat of terrorism, and to improve the mechanism of mutual co-operation
Useful links on terrorism
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