India for concerted action against terrorism

Dharam Shourie

United Nations, Sept 6 (PTI) Describing terrorism as a
"pervasive and insidious" threat to global security, India has
sought a concerted action to root out its networks and deter
regimes from encouraging and harbouring armed extremists.

Addressing the 192-member U.N. General Assembly
Friday,Indian Ambassador to the global body, Nirupam Sen,
asked the world to act as one in denying terrorists, their
ideologues and financiers access to arms, funds and means of
transportation of their deadly goods and safe havens.

About the measures taken by New Delhi, Sen said India has
adhered to existing regulatory framework governing controls
over weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.

It has strengthened these obligations by enacting Weapons
of Mass Destruction and their Delivery System (Prohibition of
Unlawful Activities) Act, 2005, an "overarching and integrated
legislation prohibiting unlawful activities relating to
weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems," he
said.

To fight terrorism concertedly, he recommended to member
states early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention Against
International Terrorism (C.C.I.T.) to reinvigorate
multi-lateral and collective dimensions of counter-terrorism
efforts.

Failure of member states to reach an agreement on the
definition of the terrorism is holding up the Convention. Some
had been advocating that liberation movements should be
excluded from the definition.

In his address, Sen repeated the Indian position that
terrorism, in all its forms and manifestations, irrespective
of its motivation, is a "criminal and unjustifiable" act and
"no cause, no matter how just, can excuse terrorism."

He termed the menace a "pervasive and insidious" threat
to global security and core values of the U.N.

The Assembly's inability to reach an agreement on
concluding C.C.I.T. limits the impact of its counter-terrorism
efforts, Sen said.

The Indian Ambassador was participating in a debate
reviewing the counter-terrorism strategy drawn up by the
United Nations two years ago which, he said, established a
global framework to deal with the menace and presented a
template that would be pivotal in guiding efforts by the world
body as also member states.

That India continues to be a victim of international
terrorism underscores the rationale behind its conviction that
no political cause, argument or belief can and should justify
acts of terrorism, Sen told the delegates.

The House had before it a report on the issue prepared by
a Task Force which went into the details of the implementation
of the strategy.

Stating that the primary responsibility for implementing
the Strategy rests with the member states, Sen called for
their practical engagement with the Task Force.

Referring to measures India is taking to meet the threat,
he said it is utilising all available tools within the arsenal
of a democratic nation governed by the rule of law.

India, he said, has established an extensive legal
framework for tracking terrorism which criminalises raising
funds for terrorist activities, holding of proceeds of
terrorism, harbouring terrorists, unauthorised possession of
any bomb, dynamite or hazardous explosive substance or lethal
weapon or substance capable of mass destruction.

Legislative, procedural and administrative measures have
been instituted to regulate strategic exports from India to
ensure that conventional weapons do not fall into wrong hands
- whether state or non-state actors, he told the delegates.

"We have appropriate controls in place for the
enforcement of effective customs, immigration and border
controls that are necessary to prevent the movement of
terrorists and the establishment of safe havens," Sen said.

Referring to "intricate linkages and networks" that unite
terror groups, he said they can only be challenged through
concerted international cooperation and efforts by way of
extradition, prosecution and information flows. "India is
engaged in these efforts at the regional as well as bilateral
level."

India believes that capacity-building is one of the
essential elements in combating terrorism, Sen said, noting
that the Strategy in its entirety recommends an expanded role
for the existing counter-terrorist legal and institutional
framework within the U.N. to enhance capabilities of member
states to combat terrorism.

"India remains willing to provide all assistance in the
larger effort to counter the threat of terrorism," he said.

"We are willing to share information with relevant U.N.
entities and provide assistance bilaterally or multilaterally,
especially to countries that are themselves not directly
threatened by terrorism, but whose participation is vital to
the success of the larger international effort," Sen told the
Assembly.