Fed: Aust-Indon special forces plan counter-terror exercise

AAP General News (Australia)
02-02-2007
Fed: Aust-Indon special forces plan counter-terror exercise

By Max Blenkin, Defence Correspondent

CANBERRA, Feb 2 AAP - Australian and Indonesia will conduct a counter-terrorism exercise,
the second since resumption of joint training involving the Special Air Service Regiment
(SASR) and the controversial Kopassus special force.

But defence won't say when, where or how many troops from each side will take part.

"No specific information on this type of training activity will be released due to
operational security reasons," a defence spokesman said.

The exercise follows the first joint SASR and Kopassus counter-terrorism exercise conducted
in Perth in February last year.

That exercise, code-named Dawn Kookaburra, concentrated on counter-hijack and hostage
recovery operations.

The upcoming exercise will be the second in the series and with venues commonly rotated,
it likely to be in Indonesia.

"The Australian Defence Force has taken steps to develop training with TNI (Indonesian
Armed Forces) in the areas of hostage recovery and counter-hijack operations," the spokesman
said today.

"TNI's Kopassus Unit 81, currently represents Indonesia's most effective capability
in these areas.

"In the event of a terrorist incident, the safety of Australians in Indonesia could
rest on effective cooperation between the ADF and TNI."

The spokesman said building links through joint training between the ADF and Kopassus
would increase Australian effectiveness in working with TNI in the event of a terrorist
incident.

Former defence minister Robert Hill announced a resumption of joint training between
Australian and Indonesian special forces in December 2005, ending an eight year moratorium.

Australian defence ties with Indonesia grew through the 1980s and 1990s, mainly between
Kopassus and the Perth-based SASR, but ended abruptly in 1999 when Australia led the international
mission to East Timor.

The relationship with Kopassus was always controversial because of its well documented
involvement in human rights abuses in East Timor, Aceh and West Papua.

A 2004 report released by the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian
National University warned that Kopassus frequently if not exclusively operated in an
illegal manner and there was little evidence it had changed its ways.

Kopassus Unit 81 has a specific counter-terrorist role. The government believes it
possesses the most effective capability to respond to a hijack or conduct a hostage recovery
operation involving Australians in Indonesia.

Other joint training between the ADF and TNI is planned.

The RAAF and Indonesian Air Forces will conduct a maritime surveillance exercise called
Albatross Ausindo off Northern Australia in the second half of this year.

AAP mb/sb/sp

KEYWORD: KOPASSUS

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