Singapore defence talks focus on online terror fight

SINGAPORE – Five countries in a longstanding defence pact met in Singapore on Friday and said that they will continue working together and use the internet to fight terrorism.

Officials from the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia and Singapore held a joint news conference after meeting in the city-state. The countries are part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements, which was put in place in 1971 for the joint defence of Malaysia and Singapore, then newly independent.

Malaysia’s Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said that terrorism, extremism and militancy in the region were key areas of concern.

The group is “looking at social media on how to counter the narrative that is coming out from this very evil group of people who are determined to establish in the region,” he said.

Australian Defence Minister Marise Payne said that the grouping would “move with the times” and work together to counter the threat of extremism being spread online.

The officials were meeting ahead of an international security conference kicking off Friday in Singapore.

The three-day Shangri-La Dialogue will be attended by defence ministers and experts from 40 countries. It covers topics that include terrorism, nuclear dangers and emerging technologies. Australia’s Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will deliver the keynote address.