Minister of State for Home G. Kishan Reddy has said that despite the elimination of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, “...there is no room to assume that the caliphate would cease to survive”.
The leader of the terror outfit was killed in a U.S. raid on his Syrian safe house last month. The outfit seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate.
Mr. Reddy made the statement in Australia where he is attending a ‘No Money For Terror’ conference, organised by the Australian government. Seventy other countries, including Pakistan, are taking part in it.
Norway, Australia and New Zealand called for checking the flow of money to right-wing terror groups. A New Zealand Minister pointed to the murder of 51 worshippers at two Christchurch mosques in March.
Pakistan said it was aligning with the global community, especially the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), to redesign its anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing network. Pakistan’s representative said the country supported Turkey’s and Egypt’s stand that “no religion should be associated with terror”, said an official who attended the conference.
“India, being a victim of cross-border terrorism, advocates zero-tolerance of terror... Despite the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011, several active affiliates of Al Qaeda still exist in many parts of the world,” Mr. Reddy said. He announced that India would host the next edition of the conference.
He proposed four points for inclusion in the resolution — Terrorism is the single biggest threat to peace, security and development; nations must expedite the finalisation of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism under the United Nations; FATF standards must be effectively enforced and UN listings and the FATF should not be politicised; and a discussion on Countering Financing of Radicalisation (CFR), which would prevent radicalisation.
The Minister would also lead a meeting to discuss terror with his Australian counterpart in Melbourne on November 8. He voiced India’s concern over the tacit support some nations gave to terror groups.
