Terrorist threat rising, using new technologies, UN warns

The UN Security Council has warned that the threat of terrorism has increased and become more diffuse in various regions of the world aided by new technologies.

It strongly condemned the flow of weapons, military equipment, drones and explosive devices to ISIS and al-Qaeda terrorists and their affiliates.

The presidential statement, approved by all 15 council members, was adopted at the end of an open meeting on counterterrorism chaired by External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of India, who called terrorism “an existential threat to international peace and security”.

In the presidential statement, which is a step below a resolution, the Security Council expressed grave concern that terrorists are raising and transferring funds in a variety of ways, including abusing legitimate businesses and non-profit groups, kidnapping for ransom and trafficking in people, cultural items, drugs and weapons.

The council urged the 193 UN member states to prioritize countering terrorist financing.

It also said terrorist groups “craft distorted narratives that are based on the misinterpretation and misrepresentation of religion to justify violence” and use names, religion, or religious symbols for propaganda, recruitment and manipulation of followers. To tackle this, the council called for counter-narratives “promoting tolerance and coexistence”.

The statement said combating terrorism requires governments and the “whole of society” to cooperate in increasing awareness about the threats of terrorism and violent extremism and “effectively tackling them”.