Anti-terror fight needs new tactics: Susilo

Fighting against terrorism requires countries to adapt their tactics and methods because terrorists keep changing strategies, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here Tuesday.

"Fighting terrorism is not new to us, but what is new is fighting the more sophisticated generation of terrorist groups of today," Susilo told the gathering of some 180 policemen and security experts from 48 countries attending a regional security conference here.

Indonesia has suffered consecutive major attacks since 2002 with a combined death toll of over 240 people.

Although the Indonesian police have succeeded in uncovering major cases and arresting the perpetrators, Susilo acknowledged that "the threat is far from over."

"Many of us have probably won battles against terrorism. But we have not won the war," he said.

Susilo said police officers on the ground found counter- terrorism an evolving science.

"Because the terrorists are always changing strategy and tactics, there is always something new to learn about them.

"In most cases, local knowledge alone is not enough to fight terrorist groups. And in many cases, successes in apprehending terrorists are obtained only by way of cooperation between law enforcement agencies of different nations," he said.

Source: Xinhua