Bishkek February 24, 2022 – At a closing ceremony, U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer Erik Olerud congratulated members of Kyrgyz Republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs on their completion of the Antiterrorism Assistance Program (ATA) Terrorist Use of Technology Workshop. The workshop focused on cyber investigative techniques.
As a result of the workshop, American and 14 Kyrgyz law enforcement and security officers enhanced their cooperation and developed an organizational plan to conduct cyber security investigations and address cyber security issues related to terrorist threats. In his closing remarks, Olerud emphasized that, “The United States and the Kyrgyz Republic are working together to confront the scourge of terrorism wherever it may appear, and we hope to deepen this cooperation in the future.”
Event participants also noted that, “The seminar was held in the form of an active discussion, the participants asked questions in the field of their expertise. The training was useful and informative, and the knowledge gained during the event will be used in daily professional work. We express our gratitude to the organizers and trainers of the seminar – training and confidence in further fruitful cooperation.”
The Terrorist Use of Technology Workshop is the second ATA course held in the Kyrgyz Republic since 2018. Six additional ATA courses are scheduled through July 2022 in order to provide additional anti-terrorism training.
Established in 1983, the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) program is the U.S. Government’s premier counterterrorism training and equipment provider for foreign law enforcement agencies. All ATA assistance is delivered within a rule-of-law framework that promotes respect for human rights. ATA receives funding and policy guidance from the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
