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| EU Reaffirms Cooperation in Anti-terror War |
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The European Union (EU) on Monday reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against terrorism, saying the 25-nation bloc will continue to fight the global scourge alongside the United States. In a statement on the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States, European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso expressed solidarity with those left behind by the Sept. 11 and other terrorist attacks. The EC, EU's executive arm, will continue to deliver results through the EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy and step up its efforts in battling radicalization and recruitment, he said. Effective policies are needed to prevent and detect the misuse of explosives, protect critical infrastructure and ensure transport security, he added. Meanwhile, Barroso hinted that Washington should mind its methods used in dealing with terrorist suspects when he said respect for human rights and other shared values should be upheld while conducting anti-terror warfare. "We are more determined than ever to tackle the causes, and the consequences of global terrorism. We have to tackle not just the methods used but also the ideas of those that wage this campaign," he said. "Ignorance and mistrust are essential to the terrorists' strategy. Our response must be to stand up for our values, namely respect for human rights, which are the surest guarantee of our future security," Barroso said. The EU has been at odds with the United States over the handling of terrorist suspects. It has urged against abduction of suspects without due judicial procedures and criticized mistreatment of suspects under US detention. An European Parliament committee is investigating the alleged CIA jails in Europe. Franco Frattini, the commission's vice-president for justice, freedom and security, also wrote Sunday to the US Secretary for Homeland Security and the US Attorney General to reassure them of the continued commitment of the EU to increased cooperation with Washington in the war on terror. The fight against terrorism remains a priority for the EU five years from the 2001 attacks, he said in the letter, stressing that the EU and the US have worked closely together at all levels. He also jabbed at what the EU sees as US failures in respecting human rights. "Our joint efforts have helped us safeguard our societies based on the rule of law and democracy, as we both agree that we can fight terrorism effectively only on the basis of our fundamental values," Frattini said in a clear reference to the methods Washington used in capturing and questioning terrorist suspects. (Xinhua News Agency September 11, 2006) |
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