08 October 2004
Terrorist Targeting of Civilians Unjustifiable, United Nations Says
Ambassador Danforth calls unanimous statement "immensely important"
By Stephen Kaufman
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- A resolution adopted unanimously by the U.N. Security Council October 8 states that terrorism is "one of the most serious threats to peace and security," and establishes a working group to propose practical counterterrorism measures.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Danforth said the most significant paragraph in Resolution 1566 declares that the intentional targeting of civilians for death or serious injury is "criminal and never justifiable."
"Supporters of the murder of civilians sometimes say that these are justifiable acts of national liberation or of self-determination. Some claim that exploding bombs in the midst of children is in the service of God. That is the ultimate blasphemy," Ambassador Danforth told the council in his explanation of the U.S. vote.
"The resolution, which we have adopted, states very simply that the deliberate massacre of innocents is never justifiable in any cause. Never," he said.
In remarks to the press after the vote, Danforth said the resolution makes a statement "without loopholes" in condemning terrorist activities, which he described as being "immensely important."
"The statement is that under any and all circumstances, the intentional targeting of civilians is wrong, bombing schools, bombing places of worship, car bombs driven into crowds of children, taking hostages, beheading people, the targeting of people who are noncombatants, civilians is wrong and it's criminal. That's the word that's used. And it deserves punishment," he said.
The vote comes the same day as international media reported the killing of British hostage Kenneth Bigley in Iraq by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's Tawhid and Jihad movement, and one day after a pro-al-Qaida group, Islamic Tawhid Brigades, claimed responsibility for bomb attacks in Egyptian Red Sea resorts that left at least 29 people dead, most of whom were Israeli.
According to the resolution text, a working group will be established to submit recommendations to the Security Council on practical measures to deter terrorism, including more effective procedures to bring perpetrators to justice, freezing their financial assets, preventing their movement and preventing their supply.
The working group also is asked to consider establishing an international fund to compensate victims of terror and their families.
In addition, Danforth asked that the working group consider the possibility of compiling a comprehensive list of terrorists.
"I think [the resolution] sets in motion a process in which a list is going to be created. That's how I would put it," he said.
But the key paragraph, Danforth added, "is the statement unanimously made that targeting civilians is off limits. ... I view it as a statement of very, very clear principle."
(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=October&x=20041008184334ESnamfuaK0.9407923&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
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