19 December 2001

Fact Sheet: New UN Rules Requiring States to Target Terrorism

A State Department Fact Sheet released December 19 says that UN member states must take effective measures to combat terrorism.

Following is the State Department Fact Sheet:

As part of a worldwide effort to combat terrorism, the United Nations Security Council adopted on September 28, 2001, Resolution 1373, requiring member states to take steps to cut off financing of terrorist groups and their activities.

Resolution 1373 specifically targets terrorists' fundraising, their financial assets, and their ability to cross borders and acquire weapons. Under the resolution, states that did not have laws criminalizing terrorist activity are required to adopt and implement such laws immediately.

Resolution 1373 was adopted under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, which requires all UN members to take the actions necessary to carry out the resolution. The resolution does not impose sanctions against UN members.

To monitor implementation of the resolution, a subcommittee of representatives from all Security Council member states was established. Chaired by the United Kingdom, the subcommittee has requested detailed reports by December 27 from all UN members on implementation of measures called for in the resolution.

Measures to Combat Terrorism

UN member states must take effective measures against those who commit terrorist acts and their supporters by:

Improving Law Enforcement

• Taking steps to prevent the commission of terrorist acts

• Denying safe haven to terrorists and their supporters

• Interdicting terrorist activities on their soil

• Prosecuting and punishing terrorists

• Cooperating with other states in criminal and investigative proceedings involving terrorist acts

• Insuring effective border controls and identity and travel document integrity to prevent terrorists from moving from state to state

• Suppressing the recruitment of terrorists

• Eliminating terrorist groups' weapons supplies

• Establishing Financial Controls

• Criminalizing terrorist fund raising

• Freezing the assets of terrorists and their supporters

• Actively interdicting fund raising and financial expenditure efforts by terrorists and their supporters

• Preventing terrorists and their supporters from using financial institutions

Promoting International Cooperation

• Intensifying exchanges of information on terrorists and their plans, support mechanisms and capabilities

• Developing and adopting bilateral and multilateral agreements to increase cooperation between states

• Adopting promptly UN conventions relating to terrorism

• Implementing relevant Security Council resolutions

• Carefully vetting asylum claims to prevent terrorists from receiving refugee status