The three-day forum is being held by the Australian Federal Police, together with Maldives Police Service
The three-day forum is being held by the Australian Federal Police, together with Maldives Police Service
The Asia Counter Terrorism Leaders Forum commenced in capital Malé City, on Monday.
The forum is being held by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), together with Maldives Police Service (MPS).
The three-day forum will conclude on Wednesday.
In addition to Maldives, representatives from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, Afghanistan and Australia are taking part in the forum.
Police said that the forum “brings together regional partners to discuss the threats and challenges posed by global terrorism in efforts to further understanding and cooperation regarding the issue.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Monday morning, Commissioner of Police Mohamed Hameed emphasized that terrorism “has remained a policing priority of MPS for the last 15 years.”
Noting that Maldives has “had [its] share of radicalized individuals travel to conflict zone areas in Syria and Iraq,” the commissioner stated that “investigating, evaluating and rehabilitating these individuals are [the police's] highest priority right now.”
Also at the ceremony, AFP's Commander Glen McEwen noted that this forum “is in recognition of the global threat that exists from terrorism, never more prevalent than the recent tragic events that we saw in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.”
Further noting that “the evolution of technology combined with criminal and terrorism threat environment over the next five to 10 years is testing the boundaries of existing legislations,” Commander McEwen emphasized that "it will be essential that the framework under which we work keeps pace with the change and maintains its relevance regardless of where the threat exists.”
The first Asia Counter Terrorism Leaders Forum was in 2018.
