UN counter-terrorism meeting kicks off in Madrid

A special meeting of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee kicked off here Tuesday to seek ways on preventing people from travelling to countries such as Syria and Iraq to join extremist groups, such as the Islamic State.

Tuesday's meeting, which was hosted by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy in Madrid's Palacio del Pardo, is the first time the CTC, which is an organ of the UN Security Council, has met outside of New York since 2011.

Over 400 experts from 70 countries, among them Turkey, Iraq, Senegal, Nigeria, Angola, Mauritania, Malta, Morocco, Britain, the United States, Serbia and Georgia, were represented at the meeting.

It is estimated that between 25,000-30,000 people from around the world, 125 from Spain, have travelled from their homelands to join extremist groups.

Those present in Madrid focused on three main issues: the detection and prevention of recruitment networks for foreign extremist fighters: how to prevent these fighters reaching their destinations and the judgement, punishment and rehabilitation of those who have returned from combat zones.

Speaking at the meeting, Rajoy said terrorism was "one of the great threats to peace and world security," and highlighted the need for all countries to work together in order to combat a threat which "knows no frontiers."

Rajoy expressed Spain's willingness to combat terrorism, stating his country was "in the front line" in the struggle.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernandez-Diaz said at the post-meeting press conference that "Spain was a reference point in the battle against terrorism." Endit