NEW DELHI: The ‘Delhi Declaration’ adopted after the UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee meeting reaffirmed that terrorism — in all forms and manifestations — constitutes one of the most serious threats to global peace and security and urged all member-states to ensure zero tolerance towards terrorism, consistent with their obligations under international laws.
The declaration on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terror purposes also underlined that terrorists getting opportunity to access safe havens continues to be a significant concern.
The meeting on Saturday sought to address increased use of Internet and other information and communications technologies, including social media platforms, for terrorist purposes. It acknowledged that innovations in financial technologies such as crowd funding platforms present a risk of being misused for terrorist-financing, while noting the increasing “global misuse” of unmanned aerial systems (drones) by terrorists to conduct attacks against critical infrastructure.
The declaration called upon all member-states to cooperate fully in the fight against terrorism in order to identify safe havens, deny terrorists’ access to them and bring to justice, in accordance with domestic and international laws, “any person who supports, facilitates, participates or attempts to participate in the financing, planning, preparation or commission of terrorist acts, including by providing safe havens”.
India has always advocated in the past zero tolerance for terrorism and called for action against States that provide safe havens to terrorists. The Declaration didn’t specifically mention cross-border terrorism or name any Pakistan based terror group.
It stressed the need to effectively counter the ways of the ISIL, also known as Daesh and Al-Qaida, and their affiliates, to incite and recruit others to commit terrorist acts. The declaration said that terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group.