The agreement signed by Head of the ATC-CIS Andrei Novikov (right) and Secretary General Noble, will give the centre direct access to INTERPOL's communications system and databases.

The agreement, which was jointly signed by Head of the ATC-CIS, Andrei Novikov, and INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble, will provide the Centre with direct access to INTERPOL’s I-24/7 global police communications system and its global databases to enable close collaboration in the exchange of information across a range of areas, including:

• international organizations of a terrorist and extremist nature, their leadership and associates;
• groups and individuals providing support or suspected of financing terrorist and extremist elements;
• the current situation, developments and trends relating to the spread of terrorism and extremism;
• groups and individuals suspected in the involvement of the terrorist use of weapons of mass destruction.

“This agreement with INTERPOL will enable the Anti-Terrorism Centre to further build on the work already being done by the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States in combating the threats posed by terrorists and other extremists,” said Mr Novikov.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding follows a resolution approved by delegates at the INTERPOL General Assembly held in St Petersburg, Russia in October this year.

“Access to I-24/7 and INTERPOL’s databases will assist not only the countries in the CIS in receiving international intelligence on terrorist threats, but will also ensure that vital regional information is made available to our network of 187 member countries,” said INTERPOL Secretary General Ronald K. Noble.

“This agreement is another example of how INTERPOL is doing all that it can to ensure that vital policing information is made available when and where it is needed,” added Mr Noble.

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization with 187 member countries, each of which is now connected to I-24/7, its global police communications system, with many having expanded access beyond the National Central Bureaus to frontline officers in the field, particularly at border control points.