Russian Deputy Interior Minister Advocates Stepping Up Efforts To Combat Terrorism

On opening the 2nd international conference World Community in Combating Terrorism Vladimir Vasilyev, state secretary and deputy interior minister of Russia, stated the necessity "to step up efforts to combat terrorism using international experience" to prevent repetition of the tragedy similar to that happened in the USA on September 11. The conference is being held in Moscow as part of the 5th international forum of means ensuring security of states Interpolytech-2001. Noting that an Anti-terrorist Centre of the CIS has been set up to counter terror Vasilyev stressed that "today we should step up measures to combat terrorism." He said in particular that "it is necessary to more closely cooperate with other countries in daily operation and service activities." The deputy interior minister said that contacts with the overwhelming majority of law-enforcement agencies of both the CIS and other countries had been already established. Vladimir Vasilyev also said that a great number of special operations are currently being held together with law-enforcement bodies of other countries. Specifically, the Mercenaries operation was held this year, as a result of which several channels of transferring mercenaries to Chechnya and Afghanistan were cut short, he said. Moreover, 262 suspects involved in illegal armed formations were detained, four channels of transferring mercenaries were disclosed and eight commercial structures financing mercenaries were revealed.