Crime | 30.05.2009

G8 ministers push for tighter anti-crime measures

Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: The G8 pledged to crackdown on piracy and global terrorism

Interior ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) countries adopted on Saturday a series of proposals aimed at combating international terrorism, sea piracy, organized crime, drug cartels and illegal immigration.

In a statement following the talks near Rome, the ministers said that despite some successes, terrorism was still one of the most serious threats to international security.

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Ministers fear that recruitment among terrorist groups is on the rise

"The counter-terrorism cooperation between G8 nations is essential," stressed the joint statement by the justice chiefs of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

G8 justice and interior ministers called for closer monitoring of terrorist groups and the channels they use to spread extremism.

The ministers had been meeting in Rome for two days of talks in which they pledged to help strengthen the criminal justice systems in poor regions affected by piracy, such as east Africa.

An agreement was reached to work toward a legal framework for the trial of Somali pirates, which would include cooperation between countries that arrest the pirates and those with more developed judiciaries which would be able to prosecute them.

Countries agree to fight crime together

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Mafia operations around Europe will be hit hardest

Other participants at the summit, which was being held under strict security at a police training school, included the EU Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner, Jacques Barrot, and officials from Interpol and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

A "critical tool" in fighting criminal syndicates is the confiscation of their financial and other material assets, officials said in a final declaration at the end of their two-day meeting in Rome.

Recent United Nations studies suggest that the current global economic crisis provides criminal syndicates opportunities to flourish by investing money - obtained through drug dealing and arms smuggling - into legitimate business operations.

Tackling the threat of cyber-crime

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Cyber-crime, including child pornography, was also the ministers' agenda

Reaffirming their commitment to the "G8 Wanted Child Sex Offenders" website, participants said consideration would also be given to creating a "blacklist" of internet sites containing child pornography.

Other forms of "cyber-crime," including "identity theft" as practiced by criminals infiltrating social networking sites such as Facebook, were also mentioned.

"To cope with such threats, we believe that it is essential to improve collaboration between (internet) service providers and law enforcement to track online activity during an investigation," the declaration said.

The ministers' declaration is set to be presented at the main leaders' summit of the G8 scheduled to take place from July 8-10 in L'Aquila, Italy.

mrm/tkw/dpa/AP/AFP

Editor: Toma Tasovac

dw