Date: 01/11/2022

Relevance: GS-3: Role of External State and Non-state Actors in creating challenges to Internal Security, Linkages of Organized Crime with Terrorism; Important International institutions, agencies, their structure and mandates.

Key Phrases: United Nations Security Council (UNSC), UNSC-Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) meeting, 26/11 terror attacks, International Cooperation on terrorism, FATF, National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID), Terrorism, Types of terrorism, United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).

Context:

• Recently, India hosted the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) meeting in Mumbai and Delhi.
• The organization of CTC meeting in the backdrop of the Ukraine war is an important marker of the Government’s ongoing effort to highlight terrorism issues.

Background:

• The CTC meeting brought the UN officials, ministers and diplomats from all members of the Security Council (UNSC), to discuss challenges to the global counter-terrorism architecture.
• In the Mumbai meeting the spotlight was on the 26/11 attacks and related events.
• In Delhi, the CTC focus was on online radicalisation and terror recruitment,
  • Terror financing through crypto-currency and virtual assets.
  • Unmanned aerial system use including drones for terror strikes, transporting drugs and arms.

What is UNSC-CTC?

• About
  • It is a Committee of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
  • It was established by Security Council resolution 1373 which was adopted unanimously on 28th September 2001 in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US.
• Membership
  • The Committee comprises all 15 Security Council members.
  • Five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
  • Ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.
• Objective and mandates
  • The Committee was tasked with monitoring implementation of resolution 1373.
    • The resolution 1373 requested countries to implement a number of measures aimed at enhancing their legal and institutional ability to counter terrorist activities at home and around the world.
  • This includes taking steps to criminalize the financing of terrorism.
  • Deny all forms of financial support for terrorist groups.
  • Freezing any funds related to persons involved in acts of terrorism.
  • Suppress the provision of safe havens.
  • Sustenance or support for terrorists and share information with other governments on any groups practicing or planning terrorist acts.

Many challenges to cooperation on 26/11 terror attacks

• India has had an uphill battle since 2008 in international cooperation to pursue the 26/11 case despite the global nature of the terror targets in bringing the lone surviving attacker, Ajmal Kasab, through a full trial and execution.
• Pakistan did not prosecute the LeT commanders Hafiz Saeed, Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi and others that its Federal Investigative Agency held responsible for the attacks and even India had shared information with Pakistan.
• Sajid Mir who is lodged in a Pakistani prison on terror financing charges still has not been tried.
• The U.S. has cooperated with India on terrorism but convicted conspirators David Headley and Tahawwur Rana for the attacks have not been extradited.
• China continues to block designating LeT leaders on the UNSC 1267 terror list.

Initiatives taken to tackle terrorism

• At national level
  • The National Investigation Agency, a specialized agency to deal with terrorist offences was set up and has been functioning since January 2009.
  • The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) has been constituted to create an appropriate database of security-related information.
  • Four new operational hubs for the National Security Guard have been created to ensure rapid response to terror attacks.
  • The Multi-Agency Centre, which functions under the Intelligence Bureau, was further strengthened and its activities expanded.
• At Global level
  • The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) which is a global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog aims to prevent illegal activities and the harm they cause to society.
  • The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) leads and coordinates an all-of-UN approach to prevent and counter-terrorism and violent extremism.
  • UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) under UNOCT, promotes international cooperation in the fight against terrorism and supports the Member States in implementing the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
  • The Terrorism Prevention Branch (TPB) of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) plays a significant role in international efforts.

How has the Indian government been responding in recent times?

• In the recent CTC meeting Delhi Declaration on countering the use of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes has been adopted.
• Despite India being short on its UNSC tenure, the Government appears to be making efforts to keep up the momentum from the CTC meet.
  • It will host an international “No Money For Terror” conference in November 2022.
  • A UNSC special briefing on challenges to global counter-terrorism efforts in December 2022.

Way Forward

• Objective and evidence-based proposals for listing of terrorist groups, especially those that curb their access to financial resources, must be seen through.
• The international community should rise above political differences and defeat the challenge of terrorism with enhanced mutual cooperation.
• India should move in the direction of specialisation of military to fight cross-border terrorism.
• Technical solutions are necessary to augment and complement the traditional methods of border guarding.
• Military should also look at alternative means to strike at the terror camps across the LoC and LAC through mechanisms like Precision Engagement Capability.

Conclusion:

• The Indian experience with 26/11 has shown that the global community has often been vocal on countering terrorism but been short on cooperative action.
• Therefore India needs to take lead in this direction and will have to keep pressing the point that terrorism remains the gravest threats to humanity.

Source: The Hindu

Mains Question:

Q. “Terrorism is the gravest threat to humanity”, in this context discuss various social and economic implications of terrorism. Suggest measures to counter the menace of terrorism in the modern times of digitalization. (250 words).