International criminal matters, policies, regulations, standards, - Essay Example

International Criminal Matters Against Terrorism One of the first recorded incidents of terrorist activities was the use of assassins by the army of Saladin against the crusaders in the eleventh century. The fight against terrorism has been going on ever since and it continues even to this day. Modern day terrorism has become even more deadly and organized. Due to globalization and technological advancement terrorism too has developed and terrorists are now using sophisticated means to carry out terrorist acts all around the world.

The first formal adoption of a resolution to fight against global terrorism by the international community was in the year 1937 when the then League of Nations adopted the conventional for Prevention and Punishment of terrorism. Even after the League was abolished, the newly formulated United Nations or the UN adopted several resolutions to strengthen its member nations with more powerful international laws to tackle terrorism in an efficient and jut manner. The terrorism prevention branch of the United Nations office on Drugs and Crime, as mandated by the General Assembly of the UN, provides assistance to requesting countries in legal and related aspects of counter terrorism, especially for the purpose of implementing the International Law which could strengthen their national criminal justice system and to apply the provisions in compliance with the law.

The UN has tried to simplify the process for understanding the law and its provisions for its member nations by developing certain tools like manuals for this purpose. These tools are also very helpful for legal practitioners to fight legal cases against global terrorism in an efficient manner. As per UN plans to counter global terrorism, all member nations have resolved to fully co-operate in the fight against terrorism which is in accordance with their obligations under international law. As per the law all member nations are required to find, deny safe havens, extradite or prosecute any person who supports, facilitates, participates or attempt to participates in financing, planning, participating or perpetration of terrorist activities.

Member states are required to ensure extraditions of perpetrators of terrorist activities in accordance with the rule of international law. By the year 1963 the international community has armed itself with an arsenal of 16 Universal Legal Instrument which were related to prevention and suppression of terrorism and terrorist activities. The security council of UN has adopted several resolutions regarding the fight against terrorism. One of the most important resolutions is resolution number 1373 (Bianchi 86) which was adopted after the unfortunate terrorist attack on USA on September 11, 2001.

This resolution clearly states that terrorism must be regarded as a threat to international peace and security.As per resolution 1373, all member states must work together to urgently prevent and suppress terrorist activities. Although there were many resolutions adapted by the UN previously, but this particular resolution called upon the member states to become parties as soon as possible to the relevant international conventions and protocols relating to terrorism. This particular resolution had much more impact than any other resolution adopted by the UN previously.

Due to globalization and technological advancement, it has become absolutely necessary for the international community to develop and implement strong international laws to punish and suppress global terrorism and its network.Although there are many legal instruments available with the member states yet it has not been much affective. The primary reason for this is the lack of state cohesion and cooperation. Sometimes it becomes very difficult for the legal practitioners to start investigations and prosecutions against those who are suspected of participating or supporting international terrorism.

It becomes even more difficult when the matter does not come under the authority of the country concerned.International cooperation is essential for countering global terrorism in an affective manner. Cooperation between the member states would help the legal practitioners to bring the culprits to justice. Currently it is unrealistic to confine all the criminal investigations and prosecutions related to terrorism within the national borders.Although the International community have developed numerous mechanisms for international cooperation for dealing with the issues like extraditions, legal assistance, freezing of assets and other yet all these measures are still to be implemented properly which is essential for ending the global menace of terrorism.

Works Citied1. Bianchi, Andrea. Enforcing International Law Norms Against Terrorism. Portland, Oregon: Hart Publishing, 2004. Print2. unodc.org