14 December 2008: Bloomberg
By Camilla Hall
Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Security forces should focus more on crushing illegal trade in weapons and drugs and tackling pirates to combat global terrorism more effectively, General David Petraeus, head of U.S. Central Command, said today.
“The revenues from some of these activities are in essence the oxygen that keeps various movements alive,” Petraeus said at a security meeting in Bahrain. “These activities must be curtailed if international efforts to combat terrorist financing and thus terrorism are to succeed.”
As part of a speech to delegates from more than 20 countries, Petraeus urged international cooperation on air and air defense systems, maritime protection, intelligence sharing, protection of infrastructure and training.
“Extremist networks remain resilient and indeed robust in some areas and we must not relax the pressure on them,” he said.
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