Global Terrorism Index Flashcards
NEWS
India ranks 13th on The Global Terrorism Index (GTI). The report shows that Afghanistan continues to be the country most affected by terrorism for the 4th year in a row, even though attacks and deaths decreased.
What are the Major Highlights of the GTI?
The GTI report is produced by the Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP), a think tank, using data from TerrorismTracker and other sources.
Terrorism Tracker provides event records on terrorist attacks since 1 January 2007.
The dataset contains almost 66,000 terrorist incidents for the period 2007 to 2022.
Globally, deaths from terrorism fell by 9% to 6,701 deaths, marking a 38% decrease from its peak in 2015.
Pakistan recorded the second largest surge in terror-related deaths worldwide in 2022, the toll increasing significantly to 643.
South Asia remains the region with the worst average GTI score.
South Asia recorded 1,354 deaths from terrorism in 2022.
Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates were the deadliest terror group globally for the eighth consecutive year, recording the most attacks and deaths of any group in 2022.
CHALLENGES
Terror Financing:
Politicisation of Countering Terrorism:
Use of Emerging Technology by Terrorists:
WAY FORWARD
Re-energizing Counter Terrorism Agenda: It is necessary to re-energize the global agenda of counter-terrorism by emphasising the need for unity, and checking the veto power of P5 when it comes to identifying terrorists worldwide.
Adopting a Universal Definition of Terrorism: A universal definition of terrorism is needed so that all members of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) can incorporate it into their own criminal laws, banning terror groups, prosecuting terrorists under special laws, and making cross-border terrorism an extraditable offence worldwide.
In 1986, India proposed a draft document on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) at the UN. However, it is yet to be adopted by the UNGA.
Curbing Terror Funding: There is a need for stronger laws that require banks to perform due diligence on clients and to report suspicious transactions to prevent terrorism.
Also, India can move towards regulating cryptocurrency.
FATF
FATF is the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog set up in 1989 out of a G-7 meeting of developed nations in Paris.
Objective:
Initially, its objective was to examine and develop measures to combat money laundering.
After the 9/11 attacks on the US, the FATF in 2001 expanded its mandate to incorporate efforts to combat terrorist financing.
In April 2012, it added efforts to counter the financing of proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
FATF Recommendations:
In April 1990, less than one year after its creation, the FATF issued a report containing a set of Forty Recommendations intended to provide a comprehensive plan of action needed to fight against money laundering.
In 2004, the FATF published a Ninth Special Recommendations, further strengthening the agreed international standards for combating money laundering and terrorist financing - the 40+9 Recommendations.
In 2012, the FATF revised its recommendations and expanded them to deal with new threats such as the financing of proliferation of WMD.
Over 200 jurisdictions around the world have committed to the FATF Recommendations through the global network of nine FATF-Style Regional Bodies (FSRBs) and FATF memberships.
FATF Sessions:
The FATF Plenary is the decision making body of the FATF.
It meets three times per year.
MEMBERS
Members:
As of today, it is a 39-member body representing most major financial centres in all parts of the globe.
Out of 39 members, there are two regional organisations: the European Commission, and the Gulf Cooperation Council,
Countries that are the members of FATF Include:
Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, ,Greece, Hong Kong (China), Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye, the UK and the US.
India and FATF: India joined with ‘observer’ status in 2006 and became a full member of FATF in 2010.
India is also a member of its regional partners, the Asia Pacific Group (APG) and the Eurasian Group (EAG).
Observers:
Indonesia is the only observer country of FATF.
