Top Bush adviser to attend anti-terror meet in Cebu

Frances Townsend, homeland security adviser to US President George W. Bush, is expected to be one of the high-powered speakers in the coming Counter-Terrorism Experts Conference (CTEC) in Cebu this month, Ambassador Benjamin Defensor said yesterday.

Defensor, who chairs the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Counter-Terrorism Task Force (APEC-CTTF), said CTEC aims to explore fresh approaches against terror, including a possible "middle ground" that would take into consideration the distinct economic, political and cultural characteristics of countries involved in the war against terror.

The three-day workshop-conference of counterterrorism experts will be held from April 20 to 22.

"This is a conference that will be attended by top counterterrorism experts, a combination of people from law enforcement who are directly involved in combating terrorism, academicians, sociologists and historians as well as businessmen who have a stake in the war against terror," Defensor said.

The conference was first announced by President Arroyo during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders’ meeting with Bush on the sidelines of the APEC Leaders’ Summit in Busan, South Korea in November 2005.

Townsend, whose official title is Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counter-Terrorism, was appointed to the post in May 2004.

According to the White House website information, Townsend chairs the Homeland Security Council and reports to the US President on Homeland Security policy and efforts to combat terrorism.

She previously served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for Combating Terrorism.

Defensor said Malacañang is just awaiting the final confirmation from Townsend.

Another expected speaker is Timorese Foreign Minister Dr. Jose Ramos-Horta, former independence leader of East Timor.

Invitations to other resource persons have been sent to various countries, including Norway, Singapore, Japan, Germany, the European Union, Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia and Canada.

The CTEC secretariat has also sent invitations to the World Islamic Call Society in Libya and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Counter-Terrorism Committee in New York to send their representatives to the conference.

Representatives from 44 countries are expected to attend the counterterrorism summit, which will be divided into four components, namely seminars, simulation exercises, workshops and report presentation.

Canada, Russia, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Thailand are also expected to make presentations on their cyber capabilities, trends, and tactics in fighting cyber-terrorism, critical infrastructure and government vulnerabilities to cyber-terrorism.

A Cebu concord embodying the common position of experts on paving a middle path to counterterrorism will be presented on the last day of the conference. — Paolo Romero <