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| Obama to Lead U.N. Effort to Halt Movement of Terror Recruits | Obama to Lead U.N. Effort to Halt Movement of Terror Recruits |
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| WASHINGTON — President Obama will preside this week over an unusual meeting of the United Nations Security Council poised to adopt a binding resolution that would compel all countries to put in place domestic laws to prosecute those who travel abroad to join terrorist organizations and those who help them, including by raising funds. | WASHINGTON — President Obama will preside this week over an unusual meeting of the United Nations Security Council poised to adopt a binding resolution that would compel all countries to put in place domestic laws to prosecute those who travel abroad to join terrorist organizations and those who help them, including by raising funds. |
| The resolution, proposed by the United States, would also for the first time establish international standards for nations to prevent and suppress the recruiting of their citizens by terrorist organizations, and bar the entry and transit across their territory of suspected foreign terrorists. | |
| Already, several European countries and other nations are putting new laws and administrative rules in place, although the extent to which each state enforces these provisions, experts say, will no doubt be balanced with their own policies and priorities. | Already, several European countries and other nations are putting new laws and administrative rules in place, although the extent to which each state enforces these provisions, experts say, will no doubt be balanced with their own policies and priorities. |
| Counterterrorism officials say the weight of a Security Council resolution could strengthen and unify the legal and political framework to help stem the flow of fighters to conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq, and help address the longer-term threat of battle-hardened Westerners, including Americans, returning to carry out attacks in their home countries. | Counterterrorism officials say the weight of a Security Council resolution could strengthen and unify the legal and political framework to help stem the flow of fighters to conflicts like those in Syria and Iraq, and help address the longer-term threat of battle-hardened Westerners, including Americans, returning to carry out attacks in their home countries. |
| “It’s an agreement that sends a strong signal to everyone working in this field that we take this issue very, very seriously,” Dick Schoof, the Dutch national coordinator for security and counterterrorism, said in a telephone interview on Sunday. He said 140 Dutch citizens had gone to fight in Syria. | “It’s an agreement that sends a strong signal to everyone working in this field that we take this issue very, very seriously,” Dick Schoof, the Dutch national coordinator for security and counterterrorism, said in a telephone interview on Sunday. He said 140 Dutch citizens had gone to fight in Syria. |
| American intelligence officials say 15,000 foreign fighters are now in Iraq and Syria; they are from 80 countries and include more than 2,000 Europeans and 100 Americans. | American intelligence officials say 15,000 foreign fighters are now in Iraq and Syria; they are from 80 countries and include more than 2,000 Europeans and 100 Americans. |
| The resolution is due to be taken up Wednesday afternoon at a meeting led by Mr. Obama and attended by more than a dozen heads of state. Diplomats said there is wide support for the measure, and it is expected to pass. | The resolution is due to be taken up Wednesday afternoon at a meeting led by Mr. Obama and attended by more than a dozen heads of state. Diplomats said there is wide support for the measure, and it is expected to pass. |
| It would require states to criminalize attempts to travel abroad to join a terrorist organization and to prevent suspected foreign terrorists from entering or traveling through their territory. It would also compel states to require airlines operating in their territory to share passenger lists and for states to share information about such suspects. | It would require states to criminalize attempts to travel abroad to join a terrorist organization and to prevent suspected foreign terrorists from entering or traveling through their territory. It would also compel states to require airlines operating in their territory to share passenger lists and for states to share information about such suspects. |
| The resolution is under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which means that it is legally binding, though nothing in this measure calls for military action. If passed, the resolution would be difficult to enforce. | The resolution is under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, which means that it is legally binding, though nothing in this measure calls for military action. If passed, the resolution would be difficult to enforce. |
| The text calls on a United Nations panel responsible for monitoring compliance with sanctions against Al Qaeda to investigate where member states fall short in responding to foreign fighters. It also leaves open the possibility of imposing sanctions on those who finance or facilitate the travel of foreign fighters under the Qaeda sanctions list. | The text calls on a United Nations panel responsible for monitoring compliance with sanctions against Al Qaeda to investigate where member states fall short in responding to foreign fighters. It also leaves open the possibility of imposing sanctions on those who finance or facilitate the travel of foreign fighters under the Qaeda sanctions list. |
| Simply traveling to Syria or Iraq to join an extremist group is not a crime in many countries, though committing specific crimes — like murder — is covered by domestic law, and crimes like torture are prohibited by international law, requiring countries to try their own citizens suspected of atrocities. | Simply traveling to Syria or Iraq to join an extremist group is not a crime in many countries, though committing specific crimes — like murder — is covered by domestic law, and crimes like torture are prohibited by international law, requiring countries to try their own citizens suspected of atrocities. |
| “The resolution relies a lot on states to implement the provisions in the spirit of the text, as there are few guidelines and no enforcement measures,” said Richard Barrett, former coordinator of the United Nations Al Qaeda and Taliban monitoring team, and a vice president at the Soufan Group, a security consultancy in New York. “Not only will implementation be difficult, but so too will monitoring implementation.” | |
| The resolution puts pressure on some of the United States’ most vital allies in the region. Turkey is being asked to monitor its nearly 800 miles of borders with Syria and Iraq, which have been freely used by militants joining a variety of rebel groups fighting the governments of both countries, including the Islamic State, alternately known as ISIS. | |
| Other allies, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are under the spotlight for allowing clerics and others to support and raise money for extremist groups. At the same time, some countries in the region have raised concerns about an international effort solely focused on the Islamic State and the prospect of detracting attention from a rival in the region: the government of Bashar al-Assad of Syria, which they say has fueled the rise of terrorist groups. One Western ally told American diplomats last week that it would be exceedingly difficult for them to prosecute their citizens for attending fund-raisers. | Other allies, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are under the spotlight for allowing clerics and others to support and raise money for extremist groups. At the same time, some countries in the region have raised concerns about an international effort solely focused on the Islamic State and the prospect of detracting attention from a rival in the region: the government of Bashar al-Assad of Syria, which they say has fueled the rise of terrorist groups. One Western ally told American diplomats last week that it would be exceedingly difficult for them to prosecute their citizens for attending fund-raisers. |
| But with the resolution, “there will be a legal basis to act,” said a senior European official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of his country’s protocols. “It will also force countries to update their legal underpinnings to prosecute violators.” | But with the resolution, “there will be a legal basis to act,” said a senior European official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of his country’s protocols. “It will also force countries to update their legal underpinnings to prosecute violators.” |
| The official noted that for some countries, it will be more politically palatable to follow a Security Council resolution on foreign fighters than the urgings of the United States. | The official noted that for some countries, it will be more politically palatable to follow a Security Council resolution on foreign fighters than the urgings of the United States. |
| The United States heads the Security Council during this year’s session of the General Assembly. The fact that Mr. Obama will preside over a special session on foreign fighters underscores the importance the administration places on the issue and, more broadly, on the president’s strategy to degrade and ultimately defeat the Islamic State. | The United States heads the Security Council during this year’s session of the General Assembly. The fact that Mr. Obama will preside over a special session on foreign fighters underscores the importance the administration places on the issue and, more broadly, on the president’s strategy to degrade and ultimately defeat the Islamic State. |
| “The problem of terrorists traveling to foreign conflicts is not new, but the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters has become even more acute,” said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council. “The Internet and social media have given terrorist groups unprecedented new ways to promote their hateful ideology and inspire recruits.” | “The problem of terrorists traveling to foreign conflicts is not new, but the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters has become even more acute,” said Caitlin Hayden, a spokeswoman for the National Security Council. “The Internet and social media have given terrorist groups unprecedented new ways to promote their hateful ideology and inspire recruits.” |
| This will be only the second time an American president has led a session of the Security Council. In September 2009, Mr. Obama was chairman of a Council session on nonproliferation. | |
| The draft resolution sidesteps the contentious issue of what is a terrorist organization. It leaves to each state to decide for itself. The United States considers Hamas to be a terrorist organization; many other countries do not. The Security Council has already designated Al Qaeda as a banned terrorist group; a landmark 2001 Council resolution prohibits fund-raising for it and assisting it and its affiliates. This new resolution cites the example of the Islamic State, but is not limited to it. | The draft resolution sidesteps the contentious issue of what is a terrorist organization. It leaves to each state to decide for itself. The United States considers Hamas to be a terrorist organization; many other countries do not. The Security Council has already designated Al Qaeda as a banned terrorist group; a landmark 2001 Council resolution prohibits fund-raising for it and assisting it and its affiliates. This new resolution cites the example of the Islamic State, but is not limited to it. |
| The new measure requires member states to “prevent and suppress the recruiting, organizing, transporting or equipping of individuals who travel to a state other than their states of residence or nationality for the purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in, terrorist acts or the providing or receiving of terrorist training, and the financing of their travel and of their activities.” It also seeks to ensure that domestic laws can “prosecute” and “penalize” them. | |
| It also calls on countries to step up efforts to prevent radicalization and put in place “rehabilitation and reintegration strategies for returning foreign fighters.” | It also calls on countries to step up efforts to prevent radicalization and put in place “rehabilitation and reintegration strategies for returning foreign fighters.” |
| In two days of meetings leading up to Wednesday’s session headed by Mr. Obama, counterterrorism officials are expected to approve a separate series of nonbinding “best practices” such as improved sharing of traveler information, increased law enforcement collaboration and pledges to deny terrorists the benefits of ransoms for hostages. | |
| Many of the initiatives to be discussed this week have been promoted by the Global Counterterrorism Forum, an organization of 29 countries and the European Union created three years ago with the State Department’s support to act as a clearinghouse of ideas and actions for civilian counterterrorism specialists. | Many of the initiatives to be discussed this week have been promoted by the Global Counterterrorism Forum, an organization of 29 countries and the European Union created three years ago with the State Department’s support to act as a clearinghouse of ideas and actions for civilian counterterrorism specialists. |
| The forum has inspired the creation of a global center in Abu Dhabi and a Geneva-based $200 million fund, both to combat violent extremism; as well as a new center in Malta to train justice sector officials from Africa and the Middle East in terrorism-related activities. | The forum has inspired the creation of a global center in Abu Dhabi and a Geneva-based $200 million fund, both to combat violent extremism; as well as a new center in Malta to train justice sector officials from Africa and the Middle East in terrorism-related activities. |