UN Security Council asks countries to tackle links between terrorism, transnational organized crime

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday voiced concern about the close connection between terrorism and transnational organized crime, and asked UN member states to tackle this issue collectively.

In a presidential statement, the Security Council encouraged countries and relevant regional and international organizations to enhance cooperation to prevent terrorists from benefiting from transnational organized crime.

Countries were also asked to build the capacity to secure their borders and investigate and prosecute terrorists and transnational organized criminals working together.

The Security Council called on countries to prevent terrorists from benefiting from the financial proceeds of transnational organized crime and gaining support from transnational organized criminal groups.

The council further called on countries to prevent the movement of terrorists by effective national border controls and controls on issuance of identity papers and travel documents, and through measures for preventing counterfeiting, forgery or fraudulent use of identity papers and travel documents.

The Security Council urged UN member states to consider ratifying, acceding to, and implementing the international counterterrorism and transnational organized crime conventions and protocols as soon as possible.

Countries were encouraged to fully use all existing tools, databases, and instruments developed by international and regional organizations to strengthen international cooperation and responses to the threat posed by terrorism and transnational organized crime.

The council reiterated its decisions that UN member states should require airlines operating in their territories to provide advance passenger information to the appropriate national authorities, and develop the capability to collect, process and analyze passenger name record data.

Countries must ensure that any measures taken to counter terrorism must comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, the Security Council reaffirmed.

It underscored that respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are complementary and mutually reinforcing with effective counterterrorism measures and are an essential part of a successful counterterrorism effort.

Failure to comply with these and other international obligations is one of the factors contributing to increased radicalization to violence and fosters a sense of impunity, it noted. Enditem