Special Feature: Countermeasures against International Terrorism Preface The topic of the Special Feature in the Paralympic Games will take place in 2020. White Paper on Police 2016 is This will be the second Summer Olympic and “Countermeasures against International Paralympic Games held in Japan, the first Terrorism”. being in 1964, 56 years ago. The synchronized terrorist attacks in the The Olympic and Paralympic Games is an United States that occurred on September 11, event that attracts extremely high international 2001 claimed lives of about 3,000 people attention with a large number of VIPs, teams whose nationalities were as many as 80 and spectators gathering from around the countries including Japan and affected many world. Therefore, all possible measures must countries with the threat of terrorism by Islam be taken to deal with international terrorism extremists. 2016 will be the 15th year since that take advantage of such opportunities. the occurrence of this synchronized terrorist From the viewpoint of ensuring the safety of attacks. the people and playing a role in the In this period, the police have strengthened counterterrorism of the international measures against international terrorism by community, the important responsibilities of setting up the Foreign Affairs and Intelligence the police are to prevent terrorism and to Department in the National Police Agency in prepare a thorough system to address extreme 2004, and developmentally reorganizing the cases of terrorism. The police are taking Counter International Terrorism Office, which measures to prevent terrorism by enhancing had previously been set in the Foreign Affairs information collection and analysis and to Division, into the Counter International advance enhancement of coping capacity by Terrorism Division. The police have improving and strengthening the undertaken various efforts that include: counterterrorism squad. - Enhancing information collection and In this Special Feature, Section 1 outlines analysis and other matters related to the transition of the international terrorism the threat of terrorism situation and the threats in cyberspace, - Enforcing thorough vigilance and Section 2 introduces the countermeasures security of important facilities against international terrorism that the police - Promoting cooperation between the are working on and those of foreign countries. government and private entities for Furthermore, Section 3 gives a view of the “Japanese style counterterrorism” future countermeasures against international On the other hand, terrorist attacks are terrorism of the police and describes the occurring in various parts of the world countermeasures against terrorism in including the terrorist incident in Syria in anticipation of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and which two Japanese nationals became victims Paralympic Games. as well as the synchronized terrorist attacks in In order to prevent the occurrence of Paris, France in November 2015 that claimed terrorism, efforts by the police alone are not many lives. Given this situation, the threat of enough. It is essential to promote terrorism against Japan has become a reality. counterterrorism measures through joint In Japan, the Rugby World Cup will take efforts of the public and private sectors with place in 2019 and the Tokyo Olympic and the understanding and cooperation of the - 1 - people. We hope that this Special Feature will help Japanese citizens to deepen their understanding of the efforts made by the police and to think about the countermeasures against international terrorism in the future. - 2 - Special Feature: Countermeasures against International Terrorism Section 1 Situation of International Terrorism Levant (ISIL) was an AQ-related 1 Situation of International Terrorism around organization, after its separation from the AQ the World core in 2014 due to policy differences with (1) Islamic Extremists AQ. ISIL seized control of Mosul, the Al-Qaeda (AQ), the Islamic extremists who northern city of Iraq in June 2014, and shocked the world in September 2001 with expanded the territory under its control, closed synchronized terrorist attacks in the U.S. was in on Baghdad, the capital city of Iraq. formed by Osama bin Laden, by gathering Finally it declared the establishment of the Arabs who fought against the Soviet invasion “Islamic State” in the area that straddled Iraq of Afghanistan. The group is considered to and Syria. ISIL independently interprets aim to establish the Caliphate as a Pan-Islamic teachings of Islam and repeats brutal acts such state all over the world by expelling as executing and enslaving the forces and Westerners and non-Muslims from Islamic people of different denominations and countries. religions opposing to ISIL. After the synchronized terrorist attacks in In response to the rise of ISIL, the efforts the U.S., many terrorist incidents have by the international community have been occurred in many parts of the world by strengthened through measures such as the Islamic extremists who are said to have formation of The Global Coalition to Counter relationships with AQ. Even after the death of ISIL consisting of Europe, the U.S. and other Osama bin Laden by the U.S. operation in countries as well as efforts by Europe, the May 2011, the AQ-related organizations U.S. and Middle Eastern countries to continue continue activities mainly in the Middle East conducting air strikes against the ISIL bases. and North Africa region. However, numerous Islamic extremist (2) The Rise of ISIL and its Impact to the organizations around the world have World expressed their allegiance and support for Although Islamic State in Iraq and the ISIL. In addition, ISIL is calling on Muslims ISIL/AQ-related Organizations around the World - 3 - around the world to kill citizens of Western the world to independently conduct countries participating in the Global Coalition terrorism in their own countries. to Counter ISIL through the Internet, and In spite of being born and brought up in terrorist attacks that may have been executed non-Muslim countries such as Europe and in response to this are also occurring. the U.S., people feeling sympathy with (3) Problems of Foreign Fighters incitement by terrorist organizations get The increase of the so-called foreign radicalized and conduct acts of terrorism fighters who travel to countries or areas other aiming at the interests of their countries of than the countries of residence or country of residence or the countries targeted by nationality for the purpose of preparing, Islamic extremists. The dangers of so-called planning and executing terrorist acts and homegrown terrorists (domestically grown receiving training for that aim is a serious terrorists) have been pointed out in every concern for each country. It is said that more country. than 25,000 foreign fighters from over 100 The shooting in California, U.S. in countries in the world are participating in ISIL December 2015 is also considered to be a and AQ-related organizations, many of whom terrorist incident committed by a person in have traveled to Iraq and Syria. Regarding his own country who was radicalized these foreign fighters, there are growing through incitement by terrorist concerns that they will be factors to intensify organizations. and prolong conflicts in the destination countries and risks of causing terrorism in 2 Major Terrorist Incidents Relating to Japan their national origins. The major terrorist incidents in which In fact, the criminal who attacked the Japanese nationals were victimized in recent Jewish Museum in Brussels, Belgium and years are as follows: killed four people in May 2014, and some of (1) Terrorist Attack against Japanese the criminals that committed synchronized Nationals in Algeria terrorist attacks in Paris, France in November On January 16, 2013, gas plants and other 2015 were considered to be foreign fighters facilities were attacked in In Amenas in the who had traveled to Syria and participated in eastern part of Algeria, and many staff ISIL and other groups. members of the plant including Japanese In addition, there are cases where foreign nationals were held as hostages. By January fighters in the conflict areas call on homeland 19, the incident was controlled under the Muslims in their mother tongue through tools operations of the Algerian army; however, 40 such as the Internet to immigrate to the people including 10 Japanese were killed. conflict areas or carry out terrorism within Regarding this incident, the police obtained an their own countries. arrest warrant for the suspect who was a leader of the Islamic armed group in violation [Column] Homegrown Terrorist of the Act on Punishment of Compulsion and Terrorist organizations and extremists Other Related Acts Committed by Those such as ISIL/AQ-related organizations Having Taken Hostages and placed on the disseminate radical beliefs and recruit international wanted notice through ICPO. members through propaganda using (2) Terrorist Incident Regarding the Murder of various media and SNS on the Internet. In Japanese Nationals in Syria addition, ISIL/AQ-related organizations On January 20, 2015, the video of the are calling on Muslims in various parts of persons presumed to be two Japanese 4 nationals who went missing in Syria in 2014 revealed a part of the threat of terrorism by the was posted on the Internet by ISIL, and the Islamic extremist organizations against Japan, man considered to be a member of ISIL where there are many U.S. interests such as requested the payment of 200 million dollars U.S. military bases. as ransom for the two Japanese hostages. (2) Resonance to the Terrorist Organizations Then, ISIL changed the contents of the in Japan request, however, a purported image showing In Europe and the U.S., there are many the execution of one Japanese hostage and a incidents in which persons suspected of being video of the other considered to be killed were foreign fighters who had traveled to Syria and released on the Internet on January 24, 2015 had been involved in ISIL have carried out and on February 1, 2015, respectively.