Special report: 5th anniversary of 9/11 terror attacks
BRUSSELS, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Monday reaffirmed
its commitment to the fight against terrorism, saying the 25-nation bloc will
continue to fight the global scourge alongside the United States.
In a statement on the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United
States, European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso expressed solidarity
with those left behind by the Sept. 11 and other terrorist attacks.
The EC, EU's executive arm, will continue to deliver results through the EU
Counter-Terrorism Strategy and step up its efforts in battling radicalization
and recruitment, he said.
Effective policies are needed to prevent and detect the misuse of
explosives, protect critical infrastructure and ensure transport security, he
added.
Meanwhile, Barroso hinted that Washington should mind its methods used in
dealing with terrorist suspects when he said respect for human rights and other
shared values should be upheld while conducting anti-terror warfare.
"We are more determined than ever to tackle the causes, and the consequences
of global terrorism. We have to tackle not just the methods used but also the
ideas of those that wage this campaign,"he said.
"Ignorance and mistrust are essential to the terrorists' strategy. Our
response must be to stand up for our values, namely respect for human rights,
which are the surest guarantee of our future security," Barroso said.
The EU has been at odds with the United States over the handling of
terrorist suspects. It has urged against abduction of suspects without due
judicial procedures and criticized mistreatment of suspects under U.S.
detention. An European Parliament committee is investigating the alleged CIA
jails in Europe.
Franco Frattini, the commission's vice-president for justice, freedom and
security, also wrote Sunday to the U.S. Secretary for Homeland Security and the
U.S. Attorney General to reassure them of the continued commitment of the EU to
increased cooperation with Washington in the war on terror.
The fight against terrorism remains a priority for the EU five years from the
2001 attacks, he said in the letter, stressing that the EU and the US have
worked closely together at all levels.
He also jabbed at what the EU sees as U.S. failures in respecting human
rights.
"Our joint efforts have helped us safeguard our societies basedon the rule of law and democracy, as we both agree that we can fight terrorism effectively only on the basis of our fundamental values," Frattini said in a clear reference to the methods Washington used in capturing and questioning terrorist suspects. Enditem
