Security Council - Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) - Global Center on Cooperative Security

UN CTED and the Global Center publish joint publication on strengthening regional cooperation to prevent and counter violent extremism in South Asia

BMUSONI — Wed, 10 Feb 2021 17:13:00 +0000

Based on over five years of dialogue and engagement with civil society actors in South Asia, the 51�Թ� Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the Global Center on Cooperative Security, and the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS) at the National University of Singapore have jointly produced an assessment on Strengthening regional cooperation to prevent and counter violent extremism in South Asia.

Providing an overview of regional challenges and suggestions for how these can be remedied, the assessment captures key outcomes of a multiyear project involving civil society and experts. Also included is a set of recommendations that highlight practical ways in which multilateral and regional organizations and national governments can work with various stakeholders to address this threat to the region. The project was supported by CTED, the Global Center, and the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, with generous support from the Government of Norway.

The complete report is available here.

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Counter-Terrorism Committee holds second informal meeting on counter-terrorism technical assistance needs for Iraq

BMUSONI — Wed, 31 May 2017 16:13:00 +0000

On 31 May 2017, the Counter-Terrorism Committee held a second informal meeting on the counter-terrorism-related technical assistance needs of the Republic of Iraq. The aim of the meeting was to follow-up with implementing partners and Iraqi officials on progress achieved since the first informal, held in March 2016, which focused on the 16 priority technical assistance needs identified during the Executive Directorate’s (CTED) visit to Iraq on behalf of the Committee.

The meeting gathered Members of the Counter-Terrorism Committee, representatives of Iraq and over a dozen other Member States, as well as UN entities and international and regional organizations, including the 1267 Committee Monitoring Team, ICAO, UNMAS, UNODC, UN Women, the IMF, the World Bank, the European Union, NATO, and the Global Center on Cooperative Security.

Chairman of the Committee, H.E. Amr Abdellatif Aboulatta, highlighted the importance of cooperation in order to achieve tangible results and to counter terrorism in all its forms. “The presence of Da’esh, Al-Qaida, and other terrorist groups continues to test the limits of Iraq’s resources, as the authorities struggle to prevent acts of terrorism; to investigate attacks and prosecute alleged perpetrators; and cooperate with regional and international partners, particularly on matters relating to foreign terrorist fighters. The support of the international community thus remains crucial,” Ambassador Aboulatta said.

In the meeting, all implementing partners voiced their endorsement of the Counter-Terrorism Committee assessment on priority counter-terrorism related technical assistance needs for Iraq, and outlined how they are putting these to good use in the planning and implementation of their assistance.

“I wish to command Iraq for all their efforts in countering the threat posed by Dae’sh and being amongst those in the forefront in fighting this terrorist group. Indeed, Iraq has introduced a number of measures to enhance its legislative and law enforcement framework in line with the international best codes and standards on counter-terrorism. Still, much work remains to be done and Iraq needs our support, stressed the Executive Director of CTED, Mr. Jean-Paul Laborde, in his closing remarks. He further noted that Da’esh has been increasingly resorting to the use of civilians as human shields: “Here, I wish once again to pay my deepest respects to Iraqi citizens who have sacrificed their lives in fighting for a free, united Iraq. Their sacrifice must never be forgotten.”

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CTED facilitates national workshop on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing in Nepal

BMUSONI — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 20:20:00 +0000

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On 6-8 February 2017, the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) facilitated a national workshop for judges, prosecutors, and investigators in Nepal. Held in Kathmandu, the workshop focused on the National Judicial Academy’s new manual on anti-money laundering and terrorist financing (AML-TF). The manual outlines recent amendments to Nepal’s AML-TF legislation, and is the culmination of a multi-year project amongst the National Judicial Academy, CTED, and the Global Center on Cooperative Security.

The Executive Director of the National Judicial Academy with the Head judge of the Special Anti-Money Laundering Court in Nepal with the new manual.

The manual was developed in coordination with CTED and the Global Center, with financial support of the U.S. Department of State.

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Launch of project to support senior judicial officials in leading a criminal justice response to terrorism

BMUSONI — Sun, 01 Feb 2015 19:11:00 +0000

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On 22-23 January 2015, a project on “Supporting Senior Judicial Officials in Leading a Criminal Justice Response to Terrorism in Europe, Middle East and North Africa” was launched during a round-table meeting hosted by the International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law (IIJ) in Valletta, Malta. With expert support provided by the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the project is implemented by the Global Center on Cooperative Security (Global Center) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS), with funding by the European Commission. Its overall purpose is to allow Supreme Court justices to discuss substantive issues and current and projected judicial priorities and challenges in handling terrorism cases.

In his opening remarks, CTED Executive Director Jean-Paul Laborde stressed that judicial authorities played a critical role in interpreting counter-terrorism legislation and relevant international instruments. In doing so, they faced multiple challenges, especially as they were also required to protect human rights, including the rights of victims of terrorism and the rights of those accused of terrorism-related crimes (including their right to a fair trial). Supreme Courts’ Judges were responsible for ensuring the legality of national provisions transposing international norms, for assessing the compliance of domestic laws with international standards, and for interpreting standards already applied by international or regional courts. They were also well placed to accelerate and strengthen regional cooperation by engaging in strategic and operational discussions with their colleagues.

The Executive Director further underlined that the feedback gathered by CTED within the framework of assessment country visits indicated a need to develop a global, holistic and sustainable approach in supporting Member States’ efforts to bring terrorists to justice through effective adjudication at all levels. Establishing a global platform for the exchange of good practices by senior national judicial officials would be an important step in this direction. At the regional level, the project targeting jurisdictions in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa was a good starting platform, since it brought together the highest level of the judiciary of the States involved.

The participants reflected on the current state of terrorism-related case-law in their respective jurisdictions and discussed multiple challenges in reconciling the requirements applicable to national security cases and the respect for rule of law and fair trial principles. In particular, different views were exchanged with regards to advantages and disadvantages of special courts and/or specialized judges dealing with terrorism-related cases; judicial strategies in interpreting counter-terrorism legislation, including the definitions of terrorist offenses, with reference to international counter-terrorism instruments; challenges related to ensuring the respect for the rule of law and fair trial principles in terrorism cases, including the right to a meaningful appeal; importance of international judicial cooperation; logistical difficulties in adjudicating terrorism cases and strategies to overcome them; as well as to personal security of judges involved in terrorism cases.

By the second meeting planned for October 2015, select Supreme Court-level justices will have conducted national-level seminars and listening tours. They will explore procedural issues faced by trial and appellate-level judges handling terrorism-related crimes through seminars and meetings with judges, judicial academies, attorneys, civil society, and other criminal justice actors. Key observations based on the country context, successful strategies employed, and ongoing challenges will be shared during high-level roundtable meetings. In so doing, the project aims to lay the foundations for the development of a sustainable, non-political forum for Supreme Court-level and senior judicial officials of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

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Regional workshop on bringing terrorists to justice held in Kenya

BMUSONI — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 18:11:00 +0000

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The UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) and the Government of Kenya, acting in cooperation with the Global Center on Cooperative Security and in accordance with Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 2178 (2014), held a workshop on “Bringing Terrorists to Justice” from 22 to 24 October 2014 at the 51�Թ� Office at Nairobi, the second of its kind.

The three-day workshop focussed on the conversion of information into evidence in terrorism cases. It notably included an interactive case study, designed to promote the principle of early cooperation and coordination, in which participating police officers and prosecutors worked together to identify and follow-up on investigative leads and develop the elements for a successful prosecution (including the collection of admissible evidence) in the context of preventive terrorist offences.

Around 25 law enforcement and intelligence officers and prosecutors from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda explored a range of good practices to overcome the challenges of complex terrorism investigations, such as the use of inter-agency and cross-border cooperation to prevent and counter terrorism through the judicial process. Experts from CTED, the 51�Թ� Office on Drugs and Crime, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the African Prosecutors’ Association, the French judiciary, the Institute for Security Studies and the Global Center also participated.

The workshop was hosted by the Government of Kenya and implemented with the support of the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. The challenges addressed had been previously identified by participants in the First Regional Workshop for Law Enforcement Officers and Prosecutors in East Africa, held in Kampala in May 2013.

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