United Nations Security Council Resolution 1566
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
1566, adopted unanimously on October 8, 2004, after reaffirming resolutions 1267
(1999), 1373
(2001) and 1540
(2004), the Council condemned terrorism
as a serious threat to peace and strengthened anti-terrorism legislation
.
, it set up a working group to consider recommendations on measures to be imposed against "individuals, groups or entities involved in or associated with terrorist activities" not already identified by its Al-Qaeda
and Taliban sanctions committee. There was concern at the increasing number of victims of terrorist attacks, including children.
Some approaches to be studied included "more effective procedures considered to be appropriate for bringing them to justice through prosecution or extradition," freezing financial assets, travel restrictions and arms embargo
es.
The text called on countries to prevent and punish "criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act." Such acts were "under no circumstances justifiable by considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other similar nature," according to the Council.
The resolution also asked the working group to consider the possibility of establishing an international compensation fund for victims of terrorist acts and their families, which might be financed through voluntary contributions generated in part from assets seized from terrorist organizations, their members and sponsors. Furthermore, the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
was requested to make the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate operation as soon as possible.
of Russia
- which sponsored the resolution along with the People's Republic of China
, France
, Germany
, Romania
, Spain
, the United Kingdom
and the United States
- stressed there was a need to improve the legal and other operational instruments to combat terrorism and terrorist organizations that are expert at changing their tactics depending on the situation. "We are convinced that the resolution further strengthens the essential coordinating role of the United Nations in the international campaign against the terrorist threat," he said.
Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry
of the United Kingdom
, which held the Council's rotating presidency
in October 2004, said that the 15-member body "reaffirmed their view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever and by whomsoever committed." Ambassador Jones Parry also said that text reaffirmed the UN's central role in the fight against terrorism as well as the Council's determination "to stand together in confronting the scourge of terrorism."
U.S. Ambassador John Danforth
said root causes in no way justified terrorism. "The resolution which we have adopted states very simply that the deliberate massacre of innocents is never justifiable in any cause - never." He added that "Some claim that exploding bombs in the midst of children is in the service of God," but that such an act "is the ultimate blasphemy."
The resolution came days after terrorist attacks in Pakistan
, Egypt
, and the beheading of a British hostage Kenneth Bigley
in Iraq, all of which were considered the work of Al-Qaeda
. It was also the culmination of anti-terrorism diplomatic efforts by Russia following the Beslan school massacre.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
1566, adopted unanimously on October 8, 2004, after reaffirming resolutions 1267
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267, adopted unanimously on October 15, 1999, after recalling resolutions 1189 , 1193 and 1214 on the situation in Afghanistan, the Council established a sanctions regime to cover individuals and entities associated with Al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and/or...
(1999), 1373
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373, adopted unanimously on September 28, 2001, is a counter-terrorism measure passed following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States...
(2001) and 1540
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 was adopted unanimously on April 28, 2004 regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction...
(2004), the Council condemned terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
as a serious threat to peace and strengthened anti-terrorism legislation
Anti-terrorism legislation
Anti-terrorism legislation designs various types of laws passed in the aim of fighting terrorism. They usually, if not always, follow specific bombings or assassinations...
.
Resolution
Condemning terrorism as one of the most serious threats to peace and security, the Council called on countries to prosecute or extradite anyone supporting terrorist acts or participating in the planning of such schemes. Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations CharterChapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace...
, it set up a working group to consider recommendations on measures to be imposed against "individuals, groups or entities involved in or associated with terrorist activities" not already identified by its Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
and Taliban sanctions committee. There was concern at the increasing number of victims of terrorist attacks, including children.
Some approaches to be studied included "more effective procedures considered to be appropriate for bringing them to justice through prosecution or extradition," freezing financial assets, travel restrictions and arms embargo
Arms embargo
An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...
es.
The text called on countries to prevent and punish "criminal acts, including against civilians, committed with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, or taking of hostages, with the purpose to provoke a state of terror in the general public or in a group of persons or particular persons, intimidate a population or compel a government or an international organization to do or to abstain from doing any act." Such acts were "under no circumstances justifiable by considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or other similar nature," according to the Council.
The resolution also asked the working group to consider the possibility of establishing an international compensation fund for victims of terrorist acts and their families, which might be financed through voluntary contributions generated in part from assets seized from terrorist organizations, their members and sponsors. Furthermore, the Secretary-General Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
was requested to make the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate operation as soon as possible.
Adoption
Ambassador Andrey I. DenisovAndrey I. Denisov
Andrey Ivanovich Denisov , born on October 3, 1952 in Kharkov, is the First Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation. From 2004 to 2006, he was the Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations. He presented his credentials to the United Nations Secretary-General on August 4, 2004...
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
- which sponsored the resolution along with the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
- stressed there was a need to improve the legal and other operational instruments to combat terrorism and terrorist organizations that are expert at changing their tactics depending on the situation. "We are convinced that the resolution further strengthens the essential coordinating role of the United Nations in the international campaign against the terrorist threat," he said.
Ambassador Emyr Jones Parry
Emyr Jones Parry
Sir Emyr Jones Parry, GCMG, FInstP is a retired British diplomat. He is a former British Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former UK Permanent Representative on the North Atlantic Council .-Education:...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, which held the Council's rotating presidency
President of the United Nations Security Council
The President of the United Nations Security Council is the presiding officer of that body. The president is the head of the delegation from the Security Council member state that holds the rotating presidency.-Selection:...
in October 2004, said that the 15-member body "reaffirmed their view that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever and by whomsoever committed." Ambassador Jones Parry also said that text reaffirmed the UN's central role in the fight against terrorism as well as the Council's determination "to stand together in confronting the scourge of terrorism."
U.S. Ambassador John Danforth
John Danforth
John Claggett "Jack" Danforth is a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former Republican United States Senator from Missouri. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Danforth is married to Sally D. Danforth and has five adult children.-Education and early career:Danforth was born...
said root causes in no way justified terrorism. "The resolution which we have adopted states very simply that the deliberate massacre of innocents is never justifiable in any cause - never." He added that "Some claim that exploding bombs in the midst of children is in the service of God," but that such an act "is the ultimate blasphemy."
The resolution came days after terrorist attacks in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, and the beheading of a British hostage Kenneth Bigley
Kenneth Bigley
Kenneth John Bigley , born Liverpool, England, was a civil engineer who was kidnapped in the al-Mansour district of Baghdad, Iraq on 16 September 2004, along with his colleagues Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong, both U.S. citizens...
in Iraq, all of which were considered the work of Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
. It was also the culmination of anti-terrorism diplomatic efforts by Russia following the Beslan school massacre.
See also
- Anti-terrorism legislationAnti-terrorism legislationAnti-terrorism legislation designs various types of laws passed in the aim of fighting terrorism. They usually, if not always, follow specific bombings or assassinations...
- Counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
- List of terrorist incidents
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1501 to 1600 (2003 – 2005)
- Terrorist financingTerrorist FinancingTerrorist financing came into limelight after the events of terrorism on 9/11. The US passed the USA PATRIOT Act to, among other reasons, attempt thwarting the financing of terrorism and anti-money laundering making sure these were given some sort of adequate focus by US financial institutions...