SL to ratify ban on Al-Qaeda, Taliban

31 January 2013 03:11 am

The Government will ratify a United Nations obligation in Parliament next week to ban anyone in Sri Lanka aiding and abetting internationally proscribed terrorist organizations that include Al-Qaeda or the Taliban.

In this regard, the Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing (Amendment) Bill will be enacted in the House after a debate.  The Bill seeks to ratify a UN obligation, prohibiting Sri Lankan financial institutions entering into transactions with terrorist organizations banned by the UN. The list of terrorist organizations identified by the UN will be announced later.

According to informed sources, there is a long list of such terrorist organizations and individuals.

“The UN alters it from time to time. The list will be provided to us by the UN later. Then, it will be announced through a gazette notification.  The member countries are obliged to do it,” sources said.  

The Bill says, “Any person who unlawfully and willfully by any direct or indirect means provide or conspire to provide, material support or resources to any terrorist , terrorist or a terrorist organization shall be found guilty under this Bill.”

The government recently tabled in Parliament some regulations under the United Nations Act No 45 of 1968 to deal with the freezing of Al-Qaeda funds.
 The regulations have been drafted in conformity with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267(1999). It has set out wide ranging strategies to combat terrorism and in particular measures to be imposed against the Taliban. (KB)