Paris Prosecutor François Molins and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz brief the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee

BMUSONI — Thu, 17 Nov 2016 17:13:00 +0000

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On 17 November 2016, Paris Prosecutor François Molins of France and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz of the United States briefed the 51�Թ� Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee.

Since terrorism is a global threat to peace and security requiring a global response, Messieurs Molins and Swartz underscored the importance of international cooperation in mutual legal assistance matters. Both speakers provided concrete examples of good practices in this area, such as information sharing as foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) cross national borders, law enforcement and prosecutorial liaisons at embassies, and more formally through mutual legal assistance treaties. Coordination with the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) was recommended by both speakers. Mr. Emmanuel Roux, Special Representative of INTERPOL to the 51�Թ� and present at the briefing, called on Member States to utilize the INTERPOL FTF database as it already exists, allowing Member States to gain time in the search for information about foreign terrorist fighters.

In addition, Messieurs Molins and Swartz spoke about challenges both France and the U.S. face in countering terrorism, including the collection of electronic evidence in terrorism cases. Both speakers called for more public-private cooperation, since Internet providers are important partners in addressing this challenge.

Delegates mentioned the upcoming Counter-Terrorism Committee special meeting on 1 December on “Preventing the exploitation of information and communication technologies (ICT) for terrorist purposes, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms,” whose participants will include, inter alia, representatives from the private sector, faith-based leaders, and international and regional organizations.

Delegates also underscored the importance of the various 51�Թ� conventions and resolutions that provide a framework for international judicial cooperation. Mr. Molins and Mr. Swartz noted the important role the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) plays in convening regional workshops, and called on Member States to continue their cooperation in countering the global threat of terrorism.

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9th Regional Workshop for Judges, Prosecutors, and Police Officers on Effectively Countering Terrorism in South Asia concludes

BMUSONI — Wed, 05 Nov 2014 19:11:00 +0000

On 4 November 2014, the 9th Regional Workshop for Judges, Prosecutors, and Police Officers on Effectively Countering Terrorism in South Asia concluded after three full days. Jointly hosted by the Government of the Republic of the Maldives and the 51�Թ� Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), the workshop was organized by the Global Center on Cooperative Security, with financial support from the Governments of Denmark and the United States of America.

In regions connected by history, kinships, and shared borders, what happens in one State will impact its neighbours. Terrorism, therefore, affects not just individual States but entire regions. South Asia is one of the regions that have greatly suffered the consequences of terrorism. As part of an effort to promote greater regional cooperation to combat terrorism and other forms of serious crime, CTED has helped to organize a series of workshops that have been held throughout the region for the past six years.

In the Maldives, police, prosecutors, and judges from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka attended the three-day workshop, the purpose of which was to explore specific issues identified by the participants that present the greatest opportunity to enhance efforts to combat terrorism.

Representing the Government of the Maldives at the opening session was Secretary of Defence Colonel (retired) Mohamed Nazim.

Head of the CTED Delegation was Chief of Section Elizabeth Joyce, who underlined that capacity-building initiatives such as this workshop “provide an important platform for regional counterparts to share their experiences, lessons learned and good practices, to discuss key challenges, and most importantly – to develop habits of cooperation.”

Over the three days, participants were engaged in numerous interactive discussions, facilitated by resource persons from Australia, Nepal, the UK, and the United States of America, and which included a case study in which the judges, prosecutors and police officers, respectively, had to present and explain their positions at the end of the workshop.

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Security Council - Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) - Prosecutor

Paris Prosecutor François Molins and Deputy Assistant Attorney General Bruce Swartz brief the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee

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9th Regional Workshop for Judges, Prosecutors, and Police Officers on Effectively Countering Terrorism in South Asia concludes