Anti-terror India Summit seeks adoption of 1996 Convention

No Money for Terror (NMFT) summit pushed for "expeditious finalisation and adoption" of the 1996 Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) during the two-day New Delhi meet, which was attended by 93 member countries and international organisations.

CCIT, first mooted by India at the United Nation, provides a legal framework that makes it binding on all signatories to deny funds and safe havens to terrorist groups. The lack of consensus among nations, particularly from Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) that includes Pakistan and Turkey among others, has kept the convention on the back burner for more than two decades.

CCIT aims "to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorist acts and to refrain from providing any form of support, active or passive, to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts, including by preventing recruitment by terrorist groups, consistent with international law, and urged for a zero tolerance approach to terrorism by all states", noted a declaration issued by India at the third NMFT conference.


"Terrorism and its financing, in all forms and manifestations, continues to constitute one of the most serious threats to international peace and security," said the statement issued by the chair led by home minister Amit Shah. "Any acts of terrorism and its financing are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivations, whenever and by whomsoever committed, and called for listings and de-listings under these sanction regimes to be done in an objective manner, based on evidence and free from political considerations."

In October this year, Pakistan was removed by the Financial Action Task Force's grey list after four years. "States should endeavour to bring to justice...any person who...provides safe haven, participates or attempts to participate in financing, planning...of terrorist acts," the chair's statement noted without naming Pakistan.