Response to terrorism ISAF briefing NATO© JFCNaples © Operations Capabilities Partners NATO and the fight against terrorism he essence of NATO’s role in the fight against terrorism is Tprotecting people. Acts of terrorism are often simply acts of Only a broad indiscriminate murder. Measures taken by the Alliance add con- siderable value to wider efforts to ensure that individuals can go international about their daily lives safely, free from the threat of terrorism. coalition can address the challenge of terrorism in all its NATO offers a unique range of assets turn decisions into effective action, to the international community in the which can be backed up by an unpar- multiple facets fight against terrorism. First, it is a alleled military capability. Third, permanent consultation forum that NATO is part of an impressive net- can transform discussions into work of cooperative relationships collective decision. Second, it can with many partners. Terrorism knows no borders and only a broad international coalition can address the challenge of terrorism in all its multiple facets: political, mili- tary, economic, legal and financial. NATO works with a range of interna- tional organizations as well as with countries that share the Allies’ deter- mination to address the threat of ter- rorism. Combating terrorism is a key area of cooperation under the Euro- Atlantic Partnership Council, the NATO-Russia Council and the NATO-Ukraine Commission. It is also an important element in NATO’s lective defence provision of NATO’s Since then, the fight against terror- Mediterranean Dialogue and the founding treaty (Article 5 of the ism has become a core element in Istanbul Cooperation Initiative. Washington Treaty). Soon after, the almost every aspect of NATO’s work. Alliance conducted its first active mili- Every day the Alliance addresses the The Allies had already expressed tary operation outside Europe, help- challenge of terrorism. Allied soldiers concerns about the threat of terrorism ing to guard US airspace. Allied ships are helping the Afghan government in the 1999 Strategic Concept for the were then deployed on a counter-ter- to ensure that their country never Alliance. However, it was the shock of rorism mission in the Mediterranean. again becomes a training ground for the terrorist attacks in the United And, eventually, NATO took over the terrorists. Allied ships patrol the States on 11 September 2001 that International Assistance Force in Mediterranean. The Allied intelli- thrust terrorism to the top of NATO’s Afghanistan, the first NATO-led oper- gence community is sharing vital agenda. The day after the attacks, the ation to be conducted outside the information. Scientists from NATO Allies invoked for the first time the col- Euro-Atlantic area. member countries are working on new technologies to defend against specific terrorist threats. And experts practice drills and exchange data that can save lives when it comes to managing the consequences of potential terrorist attacks. All NATO activities in the fight against terrorism, including its operations, are fully in line with international law, including human rights standards and humanitarian requirements. ■ Operations n the wake of the September 2001 terrorist attacks, new and Iexisting NATO-led operations have taken on a role in the fight against terrorism. Patrolling US skies A number of NATO member countries Since October 2001 To assist the United States after the contribute directly to the operation NATO ships have been 11 September attacks, NATO deployed with naval assets. In particular, the patrolling in the Airborne Warning and Control operation relies heavily on the logistic Mediterranean Sea, Systems (AWACS) aircraft to protect support of the Mediterranean Allies. the US homeland. This freed up US monitoring shipping to assets for its campaign in Afghanistan, In March 2003, NATO expanded help detect, deter, defend, where the Taliban regime was har- Operation Active Endeavour by pro- and protect against bouring al-Qaida which had spon- viding escorts through the Straits of terrorist activity sored the terrorist attacks on the Gibraltar to non-military ships from United States. Operation Eagle Assist Alliance member states on request. In the first five years of the operation, was conducted from mid-October In April 2003, NATO again expanded some 88 590 ships were “hailed” and 2001 to mid-May 2002. Together with the mission and began systemati- 125 boarded. In addition, 488 non- Operation Active Endeavour, this cally boarding suspect ships. combatant escorts were conducted operation was part of a post 9/11 pack- Boardings take place with the com- through the Straits of Gibraltar (the age of measures launched by NATO pliance of the ships’ captains and practice of escorting ships through the at the request of the United States. flag states in accordance with inter- Straits ceased by the end of 2004). national law. In March 2004, Mediterranean maritime Operation Active Endeavour was Operation Active Endeavour is counter-terrorism patrols expanded to cover the entire attracting increasing Partner sup- Since October 2001, NATO ships Mediterranean. port. By December 2007, both Russia have been patrolling in the and Ukraine had twice deployed Mediterranean Sea, monitoring ship- Over the years, Operation Active ships to participate in the operation. ping to help detect, deter, defend, Endeavour has increasingly become Other Partner countries have also and protect against terrorist activity. an information and intelligence- offered their support to the operation, Operation Active Endeavour demon- based operation. The level of infor- which has also become a useful tool strates the Alliance’s resolve and mation-sharing achieved to date to increase practical cooperation and ability to respond to terrorism. It also between Allies, Partners and interoperability among Allied and contributes to keeping the Mediterranean-rim countries provide Partner forces. Mediterranean’s busy trade routes a sound foundation upon which to open and safe, which is key to build in the future. Regular reports on the conduct of NATO’s security. Operation Active Endeavour are pro- vided to the UN Security Council. Afghanistan is a key front in the fight against terrorism Securing Afghanistan’s ISAF’s mission is mandated by the By early 2008, some 43 250 NATO- future United Nations. In December 2001, a led forces (including national support Afghanistan is a key front in the fight UN Security Council Resolution called elements) were deployed in against terrorism. NATO took com- for an international force to assist the Afghanistan under ISAF with 40 mand of the International Security newly established Afghan Transitional nations contributing to the mission, Assistance Force (ISAF) in 2003. Authority, after the US-led Operation including all 26 Allies. (Forces operat- ISAF is assisting the Government of Enduring Freedom had ousted the ing within Operation Enduring Freedom the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Taliban regime and al-Qaida from remain in Afghanistan, on a counter- in extending its authority across the Afghanistan. ISAF was under the terrorism mission separate to ISAF.) country, maintaining security and command of individual Allies until helping to remove the conditions in NATO took over in August 2003. The provision of direct support to the which terrorism thrives. Afghan National Army (ANA) is one of ISAF’s mandate has evolved progres- ISAF’s key military tasks. NATO assists NATO’s long-term goal is to enable sively. In the beginning, its purpose the Afghan Government in bringing the the Afghans themselves to provide was to secure Kabul and its surround- ANA up to operational capability security for their country and their ings. From October 2003, in a phased through the provision of Operational people. ISAF supports the Afghan approach that was completed in Mentor and Liaison Teams. These authorities in the development of October 2006, ISAF gradually teams support training and deploy on their security structures; in the identi- expanded its presence into the north, operations in an advisory role. fication and fulfilling of reconstruction west, south and east. This included needs; and in training and building taking over and establishing new Afghan national security forces up the Afghan national security civil-military Provincial Reconstruc- are growing in strength and capa- forces. NATO-led forces will stay in tion Teams, which provide security bility every day. In 2004, the ANA Afghanistan as long as the Afghan for aid workers and assist with recon- barely existed. Today, the force government deems it necessary. struction work in the provinces. stands at about 50 000, many of whom are conducting operations systems for farmlands and provide A European Union force became side by side with ISAF forces and, sufficient electric power for two responsible for maintaining security in several cases, the ANA is lead- million residents and commerce in Bosnia and Herzegovina in ing major operations. and industry. December 2004, taking over from the NATO-led Stabilisation Force Beyond helping to build up ISAF’s activities are part of interna- (SFOR). However, NATO has kept a Afghanistan’s security forces and tional community’s wider efforts to small military headquarters in institutions, ISAF is also supporting stabilize and rebuild Afghanistan. Sarajevo, which continues to have a developments in other areas that are NATO and ISAF cooperate closely supporting role in counterterrorism, crucial to securing the country’s with other international organizations alongside its primary mission of future development. This will help and actors. It is essential that civil assisting Bosnia and Herzegovina prevent Afghanistan from being used and military assistance is coordi- with defence reform. as a base for terrorists again. nated in a comprehensive approach. Providing security for major ISAF has assisted in providing secu- ISAF is also working to improve public events rity for a number of major political regional security issues with NATO assists in providing security milestones in Afghanistan’s develop- Pakistan, a key neighbour of for major public events on request.