All countries must act against organisations pushing youths towards radicalisation, says Amit Shah

New Delhi, November 19, 2022

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said every country would have to identify and act against organisations pushing the youth towards radicalisation.

The Minister, in his remarks at the closing session of the 3rd “No Money For Terror” Ministerial Conference (Counter-Terrorism Financing) in New Delhi said, “Terrorism is the biggest enemy of democracy, human rights, economic progress and world peace, which we cannot allow to succeed”.

No country or organisation alone can successfully combat terrorism. The international community must continue to fight shoulder-to-shoulder against this increasingly complex and borderless threat, he said.

Shah said that, in the last few decades, India had successfully tackled many challenges, including terrorism. With a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism, a strong framework of counter-terror laws and empowerment of agencies, India has seen a significant reduction in incidences of terrorism and has succeeded in ensuring strict punishment in such cases, he said.

He said forensic science was being promoted with the aim of equipping the investigation with science and technology and the world's first National Forensic Science University was established. The Government has also decided to develop national and global databases on crimes such as terrorism, narcotics and economic offences, he said.

To combat cybercrime in a comprehensive manner, the Government has established the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre.

He reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resolve that India will be the focal point of international cooperation for "Counter-Terrorism (CT) and Combating Financing of Terrorism (CFT)".

He said that, during the two-day conference, the delegates discussed Emerging Trends in Terror Financing, Misuse of New Emerging Financial Technologies and international cooperation in the field of terror financing to effectively achieve the objective of 'No Money for Terror'. It will also help to mould this discussion into strategic thinking in the days to come.

Shah said this was a unique forum for the participating countries and organizations to discuss the effectiveness of the current international regime of combating the financing of terror and to discuss solutions to emerging challenges.

“Terrorism today has taken such a formidable form, that its effects are visible at every level. We 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. Over the past two decades, the United Nations Security Council has developed a framework to deal with this threat, with the main objective of creating a counter-terrorism sanctions regime," he said.

This system established by the United Nations has successfully curbed to some extent, the actions of countries that make terrorism a state-funded enterprise but it has to be further strengthened, made more rigorous and transparent, he added.

“Our first commitment should be cooperation with transparency and all countries and organisations must pledge complete transparency in sharing intelligence in a better and more effective manner.

“We have to fight this war against terrorism and terrorist groups in every geographical space, in every virtual space. There have been many instances when, under the guise of other motives, some organisations promote terrorism and radicalisation at the national and international levels. It has also been found that these organisations tend to become the medium of financing terrorism. Recently, the Government has banned an organisation that conspired to radicalise the youth and push them towards terrorism. every country should identify and take stringent action against such organisations.

"Some countries, their governments and their agencies have made 'Terrorism' their State Policy. It is necessary to shackle their unrestrained activities along with a strict economic crackdown," he said.

Shah said all countries would have to make up their minds on this, rising above their geo-political interests.

“We observe that some countries repeatedly support terrorists and those who harbour terrorism. But terrorism has no international boundaries. So all countries should think beyond politics and cooperate with each other. At the same time, all countries will have to agree on one common definition of 'terrorism' and 'terror financing', because it is an issue of the protection of our citizens and their human and democratic rights. It should not become a political issue," he said.

The Minister said terrorists understood information technology and cyberspace very well and they also understood the sensitivity of the public and tended to exploit them.

"Cyberspace today has become a major battleground in the fight against terrorism. There have also been multiple changes in weapons technology too and these 21st-century lethal technologies and drone technologies are also accessible to terrorists.

"The growing links of terrorism with an organised crime such as narcotics, crypto-currency and hawala, have increased the possibility of terror financing manifold," he said.

The primary goal of the conference was to identify various channels and ideate a practical and workable roadmap against terror financing, identifying its various channels.

According to an estimate by the IMF and the World Bank, criminals around the world launder around 2 to 4 trillion dollars every year. A major part of it goes to fuel terrorism.

Shah said that, 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.

NNN