Establish real-time mechanism to counter terror, narco issues: HM at Interpol event

Union home minister Amit Shah reiterated the Indian government’s earlier demand to define “terrorism” and “terrorist” if the world wants to fight the menace

Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday suggested Interpol to establish a “real-time information exchange line” between counter-terrorism and anti-narcotics agencies of member countries, while also offering India’s help in creating a ‘dedicated centre or convention’ for the initiative.

Union home minister Amit Shah addresses the 90th annual general assembly of Interpol in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Photo)

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of Interpol’s 90th annual general assembly, held in India after 25 years, Shah reiterated the Indian government’s earlier demand to define “terrorism” and “terrorist” if the world wants to fight the menace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has on several occasions lamented the fact that the United Nations has not defined ‘terrorism’.

Asserting that terrorism was the biggest violation of human rights, Shah said, “Cross-border terrorism can only be fought through across-border cooperation, and Interpol is the best platform for the it.”

“First of all, all countries need to have a consensus on the definition of ‘terrorism’ and ‘terrorist’. Without it, we can’t have a global fight. The fight against terror and the narrative of ‘good terrorist’ and ‘bad terrorist’, or small or big nature of attack, cannot go hand-in-hand,” Shah said.

“We cannot treat this as a political problem. We must all be committed to ensuring that an effective fight against terrorism is long term, comprehensive and sustainable.”

The home minister pointed out that the nodal agencies – the National Central Bureaus (NCBs) – of Interpol in some countries and their counter-terror agencies are separate, which can be a hurdle in global cooperation.

“I urge Interpol to consider establishing a ‘real-time information exchange line’ between the counter-terrorism agencies of 195 member countries. Such a mechanism will strengthen our fight against terrorism in the near future,” Shah said.

He also recommended creating a narco-database at the Interpol level.

The home minister further said India is committed to provide support to the Interpol to establish a dedicated center or convention, and to start a dedicated communications network for the world’s counter terrorism and anti-narcotics agencies.

Interpol, Shah said, should use its experience and achievements of last 100 years and prepare a ‘future plan’ for the next five years to deal with the issues of cross-border terrorism, narcotics smuggling, online radicalisation, money laundering and organised crimes.

He suggested Interpol to set up a study group to carry out detailed research on the challenges law enforcement agencies are likely to face in the next 25-50 years and solutions to deal with them.

“It can also produce reports called World Policing 2048 and World Policing 2073, which can be very beneficial for law enforcement agencies for all the countries,” Shah said, adding that reviewing this work every five years will be relevant.