‘Some organizations promote terrorism, radicalization’
*HM highlights six priority issues
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 19: Union Home Minister Amit Shah said today that terrorism is the biggest enemy of democracy, human rights, economic progress and world peace, which we can’t allow to succeed as he voiced concern over radicalization at national and international levels and called for strict economic crackdown against terror haven countries.
In his concluding remarks at closing session of 3rd ‘No Money for Terror’ conference in New Delhi today, Shah said no country or organization can successfully combat terrorism alone. “The international community must continue to fight shoulder-to-shoulder against the increasingly complex and borderless threat”.
He said strict economic crackdown should be launched against “terror haven” countries whose Governments have made terrorism their state policy.
He said there have been many instances when under the guise of other motives, some organizations promote terrorism and radicalization at national and international levels.
“It has also been found that these organizations tend to become the medium of financing terrorism. Recently, the Government of India has banned an organization that conspired to radicalize the youth and push them towards terrorism. I believe that every country should identify and take stringent action against such organizations,” the Home Minister said.
Asserting that some countries, their Governments and their agencies have made terrorism as their state policy, he said in these terror havens, it is necessary to shackle their unrestrained activities along with a strict economic crackdown.
All countries will have to make up their minds on this, rising above their geo-political interests, he added.
“We observe that some countries repeatedly support terrorists and those who harbour terrorism. I believe that terror has no international boundaries, so all countries should think beyond politics and cooperate with each other,” Shah said, adding at the same time, all countries will have to agree on one common definition of terrorism and terror financing as it is an issue of the protection of our citizens and their human and democratic rights.
It shouldn’t become a political issue, he said.
Shah said across all stages of terror financing, such as fund-raising, fund movement, layering through other crimes, and finally, usage for terrorist activities, have to be cracked down at each stage. Each stage requires a “specific but collective approach” on a global scale.
The Home Minister highlighted six priority issues, including eliminating the use of illegal channels, cash couriers and ‘hawala’ by terror networks.
“Terrorists understand information technology and cyberspace very well. They also understand the sensitivity of the public and tend to exploit them. Cyberspace today has become a major battleground in the fight against terrorism,” he said.
Shah said considering the quantum and challenges, the agencies and authorities working in the areas of counter-terror and terror financing, have to adopt a long-term strategy.
He also drew the attention of the delegates towards six priority issues. They are: preventing diversion from legal financial instruments by fighting anonymity in financial networks, restricting the use of proceeds of other crimes for terrorist activities, preventing use of new financial technologies, virtual assets like crypto-currencies, wallets etc., for terror activities, eliminating the use of illegal channels, cash couriers, ‘hawala’ by terror networks, prevention of the use of non-profit organisation, NPOs sector to spread terror ideology and continuous capacity building of counter-terror and financial intelligence agencies of all countries.
All countries must implement the standards, and recommendations set by the Financial Action Task Force, FATF, not just on paper, but in spirit, he said.
The Home Minister said every country will have to identify and act against organisations pushing youths towards radicalisation and take stringent action against them.
“The strategy of ‘Trace, Target, and Terminate’ to be adopted from low-level economic offenses to more organised economic crimes, he said.
Shah said nations cannot think of a fear-free society, a fear-free world without an effective, long-term, concerted fight against all forms of terrorism.
“The citizens of our nations have entrusted a bigger responsibility of their protection to the leadership, and it is our duty to live up to this responsibility,” he said.
He said the first commitment should be the cooperation with transparency and all countries and organisations must pledge complete transparency in sharing intelligence in a better and more effective manner.
He said that everyone should fight this war against terrorism and terrorist groups, in every geographical space, in every virtual space.
Meanwhile, India is likely to set up a Secretariat to deal with anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism issues under the global ‘No Money for Terror’ initiative.
The country indicated this at the third ‘No Money for Terror’ conference which concluded today, a senior Government functionary said.
“India is keen to establish a secretariat to deal with anti-money laundering/ combating the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) issues. Discussions are going on with international partners in this direction,” the functionary said.
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