Put sponsors of terrorism on notice: India

Without naming any country, India has asked the international community to put sponsors of terrorism on notice saying it would not tolerate their actions.

Addressing a United Nations General Assembly's committee, India's delegate Ravi Shankar Prasad, member of Parliament, asserted that terrorism cannot be justified for any purpose and is in all its forms and manifestations, irrespective of motivation, a criminal act.

Pointing out that India had been a major victim of the scourge, Prasad called for a concerted global fight against terrorism and stressed on the need for the world community to adopt practical measures, which would facilitate extradition and prosecution of terrorists.

India has been subjected to "horrific terrorist attacks", he said referring to simultaneous attacks on seven local trains in Mumbai in July and a recent bomb attack on a place of worship in Maharashtra.

But their intention to trigger communal clashes failed because of "massive good sense and resilience of ordinary people," he said without naming Pakistan as the source of cross-border terrorism.

"Terrorism cannot be condoned or accepted in any situation. Justification on diplomatic, political, religious, philosophical or any other grounds remains untenable," he told the delegates.

Asking for an early adoption of the Comprehensive Contention Against Terrorism, which has been held up because of inability of member states to agree on the definition of terrorism, Prasad said despite setback in not meeting the deadline for adoption, India believes the goal is attainable.

In this context, he pointed out that practically all world leaders who had taken part in the high level segment of the UN General Assembly session had reiterated calls for early adoption of the convention.

"We now must work together for its finalisation and adoption. We sincerely hope that, in the spirit of mutual accommodation and flexibility, member states would respond constructively and help in the early conclusion of the convention," Prasad added.

He pointed out that 13 UN conventions and protocols remain fundamental tools in fighting terrorism.

On the suggestion for a high-level conference on the issue under United Nations auspices, Prasad said it should be convened only after the conclusion of the convention.