CHITA. April 20 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Law "On Combating Terrorism" has to be amended to include a number of new provisions, Viktor Voytenko, a member of the State Duma Security Committee, has said.
"The Security Committee has backed a bill "On Introducing Additions to the Federal Law on Combating Terrorism." Additions are necessary, since the existing law does not regulate the issue of using arms, physical force, combat and special materiel by servicemen, participating in counter-terrorism operations," Voytenko said.
According to him, the gap in the legislation does not allow servicemen to employ available assets to the full extent, and often results in uncertain actions, when combating terrorism, as well as creates conditions for various offenses.
The legislator said the law is to include a provision, saying that servicemen, other military units, and agencies, involved in anti-terrorist operations, are subject to federal laws on Interior Ministry forces, pertaining to conditions, procedure, and limits of using physical force, special means, arms, combat and special materiel, as well as personal security guarantees to such servicemen and their family members.
"If adopted, the law will create necessary legal grounds for facilitating operation of servicemen, involved in counter- terrorism operations," Voytenko said.
According to him, the Security Committee believes it necessary to revise all existing Russian laws on combating terrorism.
Voytenko said that legislators called on the government to start developing a special federal program, designated Antiterror for 2004-2007.
"This program will be aimed at developing additional measures, aimed at preventing nuclear and NBC terrorism," he said.