New Delhi, Aug 19 (Bureau) Countries should not place blocks and holds on the UN listing of terrorists without any reason, India said on Thursday and added that the international community should never lack the courage to call out the double-speak of nations that extend state hospitality to terrorists. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, chairing a high level briefing on ‘Threats to International Peace and Security caused by Terrorist Acts’ at the UN Security Council, with India holding the month-long presidency, also said that Pakistan-based terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and the Jaish-e-Mohammad continue to operate with impunity and encouragement. In an indirect reference to China, that has been repeatedly hampering efforts to designate JeM head Masood Azhar, Jaishankar said that there cannot be any exception or justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivations behind such acts.
Referring to an eight-point action plan proposed by India earlier for eliminating terrorism, he said: “Summon the political will: don’t justify terrorism; don’t glorify terrorists; No double standards. Terrorists are terrorists; distinctions are made only at our own peril; Don’t place blocks and holds on listing requests without any reason.” The other points included to discourage exclusivist thinking and be on guard against new terminologies and false priorities, recognise the linkage to organized crime, and support and strengthen the Financial Action Task Force and provide greater funding to UN Office of Counter Terrorism. Jaishankar said the heightened activities of the Haqqani Network justifies growing anxiety. “We must never countenance sanctuaries for terrorism, or their financiers,” he said, and added that the “world must never lack the courage to call out double speak when we see state hospitality being extended to those with innocents’ blood on their hands”.
He said in India’s immediate neighbourhood, the ISIL-Khorasan is seeking to expand its footprint. “Events unfolding in Afghanistan have naturally enhanced global concerns about their implications for both regional and international security,” he added. “Whether it is in Afghanistan or against India, groups like LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed continue to operate with both impunity and encouragement,” he said. He said it is important that the Security Council does not take a selective, or complacent view of the problems we face. “We must never countenance sanctuaries for terrorists or overlook their raising of resources,” he added. He urged the UNSC to build on the eight principles proposed by India. He also said that it is important to end the stalemate preventing the adoption of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, which India has been championing for long. Drawing parallels between the Covid-19 pandemic and terrorism, Jaishankar said “let us always remember that what is true of Covid is even more true of terrorism—that none of us are safe until all of us are safe.” He said that India has had more than its fair share of terror attacks, and recounted the 2008 Mumbai attack, the 2016 Pathankot Airbase attack, and the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. “We must never compromise with this evil,” he stressed. He said “Terrorism cannot be and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization, or ethnic group”. Jaishankar said the world will be observing the fourth International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to Victims of Terrorism in two days and next month it will be 20 years of the 9/11 attacks in New York.