The Government of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong law-enforcement community have been "remarkable partners" in the fight against international organised crime and terrorism, the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation told delegates to an international law-enforcement conference in Hong Kong.

Speaking at the Conrad Hotel today, Robert Mueller III said the United States' relationships with law-enforcement partners overseas have never been more important, due to emerging threats from Al Qaeda and other terrorist organisations.

"Crime and terrorism have gone global. The threats we face today have taken an increasingly international dimension, from telemarketing fraud and identity theft to computer viruses and corporate espionage to the trafficking of drugs, weapons and human beings," he said.

Hong Kong among the world's safest cities

"Given Hong Kong's strategic location and its status as a major international centre of trade and finance, our relationships here are among our most important in the world," Mr Mueller said. "They are also among the most successful, thanks to Hong Kong's elite law-enforcement agencies. The citizens of Hong Kong are protected and served by one of the finest Police departments in the world. Hong Kong's law-enforcement officers are honest, sophisticated and highly professional, and have made this one of the world's safest cities."

He noted the long history Hong Kong and the US have had in learning and working together. The FBI has been training with partners in the Hong Kong Police Force since 1969, when the FBI National Academy accepted its first members from Hong Kong. Since then, more than 60 Hong Kong law-enforcement officials have graduated from the Academy, while 18 other law-enforcement officials from Hong Kong and Macau have graduated from the International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok.

We must have cooperation to fight international terrorist groups, Mr Mueller stressed. "For Al Qaeda, terrorist strikes are tools - tools to take lives, to destroy economies and even to upset governments. Their targets include skyscrapers and trains, power plants and nightclubs. And the global presence of American-owned businesses has created a world of targets for our enemies."

Potential terrorist targets in HK point up need for vigilance

As one of the world's busiest ports, Hong Kong must remain vigilant, he said. There are more than 1,000 American firms in Hong Kong and about 50,000 Americans who call this place home. 

"The Hong Kong Government has been very cooperative about dealing with requests for assistance in ensuring the security of Americans and American interests. Hong Kong's Police, Customs and Immigration officials are continuously on the lookout for terrorist groups and individuals. And Hong Kong has joined the Container Security Initiative developed by the US Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Customs & Border Protection."

The programme has US inspectors working alongside their Hong Kong counterparts to protect shipping containers from terrorist exploitation.

Private sector has role in fighting terrorist activities

"To Al Qaeda and other terrorist organisations, drugs, stolen credit card data, or million-dollar trade secrets are all the same: potential funding sources for attacks," Mr Mueller said. "The private sector must also partner with law enforcement to guard against these threats - from old-fashioned business espionage to new computer-related crimes. We are seeing money laundering for drug groups; drug groups selling weapons to terrorists; terrorists engaged in cigarette smuggling or credit-card fraud to raise money for their operations."

He recalled a case from September, 2002, in which two Pakistani nationals and an Indian-American travelled to Hong Kong to meet with FBI undercover agents to negotiate a trade: drugs for Stinger missiles and cash. The missiles were to be sold to the Taliban and Al Qaeda to shoot down American planes. The trio was extradited from Hong Kong to California in March, 2003. Two of them pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute five tonnes of heroin and 600 kilograms of hashish, and to material support of a foreign terrorist organisation.

Terrorists, criminals know they are not welcome in HK

In closing, Mr Mueller thanked Hong Kong's law-enforcement officials for their cooperation and support, "not only in protecting people here in Hong Kong, but by extension protecting people in the US.

"Thanks to their investigative efforts and their success in securing the city's port and its borders, they ensured that terrorists and criminals know that they are not welcome to do business in Hong Kong."

Secretary for Security ranks terrorist-attack risk "moderate"

Speaking after a briefing with Mr Mueller today, Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said the Government's assessment is that the possibility of Hong Kong coming under a terrorist attrack is "moderate".

"But we can't be complacent of course, knowing what is happening around us at the surrounding countries and territories. Mr Mueller is particularly concerned about maritime terrorism. I told him that we are now proposing legislation to put in force the UN Security Countil 1373 Order to counter maritime terrorism and to freeze the non-fund asset of terrorists. We hope to pass this legislation within the current session."