Regional cooperation was critical to combating terrorism as that threat expanded and took on new forms, ranging from cyberterrorism to State-sponsored terrorism, speakers stressed, as the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its deliberations on measures to eliminate international terrorism today.
Terrorism was crossing borders, not just geographically, but also online through social media and media networks, several delegates pointed out. “We should resolutely crack down on cyberterrorism,” the representative of China urged, noting that terrorist groups were using the Internet to incite ethnic hatred and disseminate violent extremist ideologies.
Morocco’s representative also emphasized the dangers of cyberterrorism, and said that groups such as the Taliban, Al-Qaida, Al Shabaab and ISIL/Da’esh were using communications technology and social networks to recruit and radicalize young people.
Also acknowledging the rise in terrorists’ use of communications technologies, Ethiopia’s delegate, citing a recent speech given by her Prime Minister at the General Assembly, stressed that social media’s many advantages also had a negative side. It was empowering extremists to spread messages of violent extremism and hate without boundaries or inhibition.
However, many Member States also emphasized how international and regional cooperation and knowledge-sharing was vital in addressing such threats. Georgia’s delegate pointed out that Islamic State in Iraq/the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh) recruited terrorists through encrypted networks. As no country had complete access to relevant data, her Government had taken the step of simplifying intelligence sharing with other countries.
The threat of State-sponsored terrorism was also brought to the fore during the all-day meeting. The representative of Afghanistan, sharing lessons learned from his country’s fight against a “sophisticated nexus” of nine terrorist groups, noted that States or elements within States perpetrating attacks must be held accountable. He also emphasized the need to address the problem of terrorist sanctuaries, safe havens and training centres.
India’s delegate voiced his concern that the Ad Hoc Committee’s efforts to develop the draft comprehensive convention to combat terrorism had gotten entangled in the issues of “who”, and “under what conditions” would be exempted from the coverage of the convention. There could be no distinction between “good and bad terrorism,” he stressed, adding that financial assistance should not be given to terrorist groups or individual members by States.
The representative of Syria highlighted the “indirect support lent by certain members of this Organization to terrorist groups”, adding that terrorism was being politicized by some Member States to attack the stability of certain other countries. He called for prompt and serious work to adopt a convention against international terrorism, one that included a clear definition of terrorism that drew a distinction between terrorism and self-determination.
Yet, despite the myriad of concerns raised, Algeria’s representative reminded delegates that the fight against terrorism could not be won by security means alone. Pointing to his country’s historical reconciliation policy, he emphasized that all stakeholders must be equally involved in combatting terrorism.
Also speaking today were representatives of Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Bahrain, Tunisia, Iraq, Uganda, Azerbaijan, and Nigeria.
The Sixth Committee will next meet at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 October, to continue its consideration of measures to eliminate international terrorism and to take up the rule of law.
Statements
NAWAF ALTHARI (Saudi Arabia), speaking for the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), stated that terrorism was not only a flagrant violation of international human rights law, but also contradicted the principles of Islam. Furthermore, terrorism should not be associated with any religion, faith, theology, society or group. Strongly condemning attempts to link Islam with terrorists, he reiterated the importance of promoting dialogue between religions and civilizations. The international community must address the root causes of terrorism including festering international disputes and political marginalization.
It was essential, he added, that Member States enhance cooperation to refute the narratives of terrorist groups. There was a distinction between terrorism and the struggle for the right to self-determination. That distinction was observed in international law and international human rights law, as well as the Charter of the United Nations. Stressing that the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy should be implemented in a balanced manner, he called on the international community to reach a consensus agreement on the draft comprehensive convention to combat terrorism.
WU HAITAO (China) said that it was imperative to improve strategies and legal frameworks for international cooperation against terrorism. “We should resolutely crack down on cyberterrorism,” he stated, as terrorist forces were using the Internet and other information and communications technology to disseminate violent extremist ideologies and incite ethnic hatred. Turning to cross-border movement of foreign terrorist fighters, he added that the flow of such fighters had caused great harm, exacerbating regional conflicts and posting serious threats to the stability and security of countries of origin, transit and destination. In addition, the international community should firmly suppress attempts by terrorist organizations to acquire financing through the smuggling of oil, cultural relics and drugs.
INGA KANCHAVELI (Georgia), aligning her delegation with the European Union, said the challenge of terrorism required a coordinated approach from the international community. Her country had joined three counter-ISIL/Da’esh working groups, and had also undertaken legislative and practical measures, including signing and ratifying counter-terrorism instruments, and implementing all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions. Georgia has kept a list of people suspected of terrorist activities which it regularly updated and shared with relevant State structures. Amendments had been made to its criminal code on terrorism with regard to foreign fighters, recruitment and traveling for terrorist purposes. Because ISIL recruitment of terrorists used encrypted networks and no single country had full access to relevant data, Georgia had also simplified intelligence sharing. She stressed that more must be done to address the root causes of terrorism, with policies for social and economic development, as well as youth employment and political engagement.
BURHAN GAFOOR (Singapore), associating his delegation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said Southeast Asia had become a fertile recruiting ground for terrorist organizations such as Islamic State in Iraq/the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh). His Government had adopted a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy and had enhanced its capabilities for security responses as well as strengthening the community’s vigilance and resilience. Police and security forces were being trained and equipped with new skills and tools. A new national movement, “SG Secure”, had been launched, aimed at rallying all citizens to unite in the fight against terrorism. In addition, Singapore was party to 14 universal counter-terrorism agreements, he said, adding that Singapore had acceded to the 2007 ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism.
NANG PHYU SIN THAN MYINT (Myanmar), associating herself with the Non-Aligned Movement and ASEAN, said that her country had taken a series of concrete measures to fight terrorism, including, among others, strengthening its national legislation and institutions by enacting the domestic law on combating terrorism in June 2014. At the regional level, Myanmar signed the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism in 2007. In 2009, the country became a State party to the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Convention on Cooperating in Combating Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking. Myanmar had also participated in meetings on Asia-Pacific Foreign Terrorist Fighters organized by International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). She stressed that her Government had reinforced its commitment to anti-terror cooperation by acceding to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention in 2014, and had deposited the instrument of ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty this year.
NGUYEN TA HA MI (Viet Nam), associating herself with ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement, condemned all acts of terrorism and noted that the root causes of international terrorism were political, social and economic inequality and injustice. Actions to counter terrorism, she stressed, must be in line with international law and human rights. Her country’s law on counter-terrorism had set out a legal framework to combat the scourge on a national level. At the regional level, Viet Nam was part of ASEAN’s efforts to implement its Convention on Counter-Terrorism and its Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter-Terrorism. She voiced supported for the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and noted the Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism. Her country, she added, would spare no efforts to contribute to peace and its commitment to international law was unwavering.
TAN SRI DATO SRI MOHAMED APANDI ALI, Attorney General of Malaysia, aligning his delegation with ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement, emphasized the need for immediately convening a high-level conference on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, which should effectively address the root causes of terrorism, including unresolved conflicts. Reporting that, as of September 2016, his country had arrested 239 ISIL militants, he also said that, as part of the effort to enhance the legal framework for fighting the scourge, a new national security act had been passed. The act had stirred controversy since it assigned greater powers to the National Security Council, chaired by the Prime Minister, and to security forces. He stressed that the safeguards provided by the act were “well within legal limits” and that the act had important preventive functions. Offering condolences to victims of terrorism around the world, he affirmed the need for international cooperation on the matter and described regional frameworks within which Malaysia participated.
MOHAMMED ATLASSI (Morocco), aligning himself with the OIC, noted that terrorist groups, including the Taliban, Al-Qaida, Al-Shabaab, Da’esh and their affiliates used all means, including information and communications technology and social networks, to recruit young people. Illicit oil trade and cross-border crimes enabled them to have the financial resources to conduct their heinous acts. The number of foreign terrorist fighters had reached 40,000 and they came from hundreds of countries, including developed ones. Calling for a global response to the problem, he added that capacity building, training, and information exchange were vital, while respecting the four pillars of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy. The adoption of various Security Council resolutions including Resolution 2178 (2014) had brought new dynamism and guidance to international cooperation in the matter.
JO JONG CHOL (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), associating his delegation with the Non-Aligned Movement, said that the world refugee crisis had resulted from aggression, intervention and other atrocities against sovereign States as part of the so-called “war on terror,” which, in turn, had brought about more terror through the emergence of extremist groups such as ISIL. The United States had designated State sponsors of terrorism to apply pressure in order to overthrow sovereign States’ systems. The “war on terror” was therefore in itself State terrorism. To truly end terror, root causes must be eliminated; the focus should be on ensuring the fair settlement of international disputes. His Government opposed all forms of terrorism and any assistance to terrorist groups, and had signed onto a range of international instruments for that reason. He pledged that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea would continue to fulfil its international obligation to help eliminate terrorism and to strengthen international cooperation for that purpose.
MIRGUL MOLDOISAEVA (Kyrgyzstan), aligning herself with the Collective Security Treaty Organization, stated that the central role in coordinating the efforts to fight terrorism must be played by the United Nations. Her country believed the Global Strategy was an effective foundation for that and the States of Central Asia had adopted a joint Plan of Action that consisted of forty-eight measures, which had been introduced into national strategies. Kyrgyzstan had acceded to ten out of sixteen international United Nations documents regarding counter-terrorism measures, and was working to ensure that national legislation was in line with ratified international conventions. Further, the country was improving security training, raising awareness through mass media and protecting the Internet from being used for the spread of terrorism.
HUSSEIN MAKHLOOQ (Bahrain), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, stated that his country’s history in combating terrorism proved that Bahrain had consistently cooperated with the international community. Bahrain had joined a number of international regional conventions and instruments and had supported the international alliance against Da’esh. As well, Bahrain was committed to implementing international resolutions on countering terrorism, including Security Council resolution 2253 (2015). His country would continue to closely monitor borders and had worked with the “brotherly countries” of the Gulf Cooperation Council to adopt a security strategy to counter extremism. In addition, since 2001, a Government committee had been established to prevent money-laundering.
BASHAR JA’AFARI (Syrian Arab Republic), associating his delegation with the Non-Aligned Movement, stressed the absence of consensus on the “competence of the current chair of the Sixth Committee”. He also underscored respect for international law, “especially where it refers to occupation of territories and United Nations decisions on said occupation.” The danger of terrorism increased each day and was a threat to international peace and security. However, the issue was being politicized by certain member countries that had been trying to use terrorism to attack the stability of certain other countries. He noted the “lack of political will” in some nations and the “indirect support lent by certain members of this Organization to terrorist groups,” adding that some Member States saw those terrorists as “jihadists.” There should be prompt and serious work to adopt a convention against international terrorism, and it should include a clear definition of terrorism, “drawing a distinction between terrorism and self-determination.” He also highlighted the need to stop terrorists from using the Internet and social media to recruit youths, and welcomed the role that the Russian Federation and Iran played in Syria.
MAHLET HAILU GUADEY (Ethiopia), associating herself with the African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement, stated that the international community should be concerned about the increasing use, in a globalized society, by terrorists of new information and communications technologies. Citing the speech given by her country’s Prime Minister in the General Assembly, she added that as much as social media was offering a digital platform to improve exchange of information and enhance popular participation, its attendant negative impacts could not be ignored. Social media had also empowered populists and other extremists to exploit people’s genuine concerns and spread their message of bigotry and hate without any inhibition. She also noted that her country had ratified many regional and international agreements on combating terrorism, and had taken a number of legal and administrative measures to implement those agreements.
MOHAMED KHALED KHIARI (Tunisia), associating himself with OIC and the Non-Aligned Movement, said there was a need to understand the reasons for violent extremism and for a mechanism to exchange knowledge. He referred to the difficult geographical context of Tunisia, where terrorism was a major threat to the region. His Government had adopted a series of measures to optimize national capacities in fighting terrorism, including laws supressing money-laundering, criminalizing acts of recruitment, glorifying terrorism, funding terrorism or traveling to areas of conflict. As well, his country had worked with relevant United Nations bodies to finalize its national strategy. In addition, Tunisia was working regionally and sub-regionally through bilateral agreements and through the ratification of regional and international conventions.
MAHMOUD SAIKAL (Afghanistan), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, said numerous terrorist attacks continued in his country and many others around the world. “The status quo makes it ever more evident that despite ongoing efforts, the global counter-terrorism campaign must be revitalized for a more responsive approach,” he said, warning that terrorist threats had rapidly increased rather than subsided. There was merit in a review of United Nations entities to identify and fill gaps, while assessing what could really be done to achieve results. Far too often, elements in some States – particularly one in his region – still resorted to terrorism as a tool to advance their misguided foreign policy agendas. Emphasizing the need to address the lingering problem of terrorist sanctuaries, safe havens and training centres, he said any State or elements within a State involved in the perpetration or orchestration of terrorist attacks must be held to account. Afghanistan’s fight against a sophisticated nexus of nine terrorist groups continued unabated, with scores of civilian lives lost in recent months. Describing national efforts to combat such attacks, he joined the call for the conclusion of the draft comprehensive convention on international terrorism, the conclusion of which “has eluded us for far too long”.
GHASSAN SADDAWI (Iraq), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement and OIC, stated that terrorism had destabilized societies and deprived individuals of their rights. Underscoring his country’s condemnation of all terrorist acts in all forms and manifestations, he called on the international community to work together under the auspices of the United Nations and regional organizations to bring perpetrators of terrorism to justice. Iraq had ratified and acceded to four important treaties that aimed to combat terrorism, including the Arab Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, and the Organization of the Islamic Conference Convention on Combating International Terrorism. With Da’esh controlling some of its territories, Iraq was a victim of some of the most brutal terrorist attacks. The armed forces and people of Iraq were confronting terrorism on behalf of the whole world and the international community must support Iraq in combating that.
DUNCAN LAKI MUHUMUZA (Uganda), associating his delegation with the African Group and the Non-Aligned Movement, affirmed that the United Nations was best suited to coordinate international efforts to fight terrorism, complemented by regional, sub-regional and national initiatives. However, those must, in turn, be supported by the provision of necessary resources. Ugandan forces had, in recent years, successfully driven terrorist groups such as the Lord’s Resistance Army and the Allied Democratic Forces out of its territory. He called on all States in the region to cooperate to eradicate the remnants of those groups in neighbouring countries. Such cooperation had already led to the capture and prosecution of leaders who were now facing prosecution in different forums. While commending efforts to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, he pointed out that goal was being undermined by the dumping of toxic waste material off the Indian Ocean coast of Somali which could “easily constitute an arsenal” for those groups. He affirmed the need for a comprehensive convention on terrorism, and stressed the importance of taking hard decisions, including assigning a definition to terrorism.
MOHAMMED BESSEDIK (Algeria), associating himself with the African Group, OIC and the Non-Aligned Movement, said the struggle against extremism also included the struggle against Islamophobia which was emerging as the new face of extremism. Underscoring the importance of consolidating efforts at the bilateral, regional and international levels, he called for Member States to agree upon an accurate definition of terrorism, in line with the United Nations Charter. From its own fight against violent extremism, Algeria had learned precious lessons, which were reflected in the historical reconciliation policies of its President. Defeating terrorism solely by security means would make for an incomplete defeat. It was important to address all stakeholders in its national plan to prevent terrorism.
KOTESWARA RAO MADIMI (India) stated the international community needed to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. The Ad Hoc Committee’s efforts to develop the draft of the comprehensive convention had gotten entangled in the issues of “who”, and “under what conditions” would be exempted from the coverage of the convention. There could be no distinction between “good and bad terrorism,” he stressed, adding that the Member States of the Committee should acknowledge their failure in fulfilling the mandate to achieve the convention. His Government had enacted legislations to deal with all aspects of terrorism, such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967 which criminalized the raising of funds for terrorist activities. India also condemned direct or indirect financial assistance given to terrorist groups or individual members by States and their machineries.
TOFIG MUSAYEV (Azerbaijan) said his country had been repeatedly a target of terrorist attacks since the 1980s, which had claimed the lives of over 2,000 citizens. He voiced his strong support for international cooperation, as well as enhanced individual and collective efforts to combat terrorism, noting the important work of the Security Council committees with counter-terrorism mandates. It was critical to intensify conflict resolution efforts as most terrorist activities occurred in countries mired in new or old conflicts. The absence of a clear definition of terrorism in international law hampered efforts to bring terrorists and terrorist organizations to account, as well as States that promoted, supported or financed terrorism. Lastly, he stressed that the war on terrorism could not and must not be used to target any religion or culture, a principle that must be part and parcel of any counter-terrorism strategy.
TAIWO ABIDOGUN (Nigeria), aligning himself with the African Group, stated that terrorist attacks across the world were a threat to “the great and small, strong and weak alike.” Stressing that it was time for “all hands to the deck,” he praised the synergy between the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre and the Counter-Terrorism Task Force and voiced support for the Working Group’s aim to finalize the draft comprehensive convention. In Nigeria, Boko Haram had indiscriminately targeted civilians, Muslims and Christians, places of worship and recreational establishments. “Even the United Nations building in Abuja was not spared,” he noted. Such acts had strengthened Nigeria’s resolve to fight terrorism and the country was cooperating closely with its neighbours, Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin by forming a multinational joint task force.
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