The fight against terrorism, child sexual abuse and cyber threats cannot be seen solely as a domestic problem for individual countries, said Interior Minister Vit Rakusan (STAN) yesterday after meeting the director of the US FBI Christopher Wray in Prague.
The minister also spoke with Wray about the December shooting at the Faculty of Arts of Charles University (FF UK), in which 14 people died. The ministry said Wray expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
“Cooperation not only within the European Union but also with other partners is important for the Czech Republic. The United States of America is one of the key countries in this respect,” Rakusan said.
According to ministerial spokesman Adam Rozler, police representatives also attended the meeting. “All those present agreed that they want to continue bilateral cooperation, especially in the area of serious crime,” the spokesman said.
As an example of cooperation between the two countries, Rozler mentioned Tuesday’s extradition of Georgian citizen Polad Omarov to the United States. In the US, he is suspected of murder for hire and conspiracy, and is described as a senior authority in the world of criminal groups. Omarov unsuccessfully defended himself in the Czech courts against extradition for prosecution.
The US Embassy said last week that Wray’s visit confirms and underscores the long-term importance of the FBI’s international partnerships in combating today’s global threats.
