AMSTERDAM — Former Dutch social security agency boss Tjibbe Joustra was named as the country’s new anti-terror coordinator on Tuesday.

Joustra will chair the joint committee on combating terror which will coordinate the anti-terrorism efforts between the Justice and Interior Ministries and the security agencies.

His appointment is temporary and will run until the end of 2004, Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner said in a statement on Tuesday.

Joustra was in the news in March when he was forced to resign from his position as head of the social security payments organisation UWV.

Social Affairs Minister Aart Jan Geus sought his head after it emerged the costs of renovation of the UWV’s Amsterdam office far exceeded budget estimates. A subsequent investigation indicated Joustra gave the Cabinet “incorrect and incomplete” information.

Joustra agreed to step down after he was promised a suitable public service job within 12 months.

Also last month, Dutch politician Gijs De Vries was named European anti-terror coordinator in the aftermath of the 11 March train bombings in Madrid.

[Copyright Expatica News 2004]

Subject: Dutch news