Food chain a new terror target

2006-11-14 12:35

Hanoi - Nations must respond to new and emerging forms of terror attacks such as mass food poisoning, according to a report drawn up for Asia-Pacific leaders meeting at a weekend summit in Vietnam.

The report, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, said terrorism remains a major and constantly evolving threat in the region which has already witnessed attacks that have killed hundreds of people, notably in Bali and Mumbai.

"While we have thwarted many terrorist attacks against our economies, we have not been able to stop them all," the report by the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum's counter-terrorism task force said.

"Terrorism will remain a threat to the stability and growth of our region and it is a threat we must continue to face together.

The document is to be issued during the 21-member APEC's annual summit in Hanoi to be attended by US President George W Bush and the leaders of China, Russia and 18 other economies.

It warned: "The terrorist threat is constantly evolving, and we must work together to be flexible in our responses and to prepare our economies for these new security concerns."

Contamination of food supply

One concern raised by the United States is the risk of militants poisoning or contaminating the food supply chain, the report warned.

It urged APEC leaders to agree to take concerted action "to mitigate the threat of deliberate contamination of our food supply".

Delegates preparing for the summit said the leaders were expected to touch on the issue.

"If terrorists attack the food chain or poison a water reservoir, this will precipitate panic. You need to put up a mechanism to counter this," a source involved in the report's preparation told AFP.

He said a US-proposed "food security initiative" would involve cooperation of players in the supply chain such as manufacturers and transporters.

"By monitoring the chain, in a sense you create a very robust food defence structure," he said.

Despite being largely a grouping to promote free trade across the Pacific, APEC has increasingly focused on security issues that impact on the flow of commerce after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States.

- AFP