National anti-terror policy, strategy to be unveiled soon: HM Shah

NEW DELHI — The Union government will soon release a national policy and strategy to counter terrorism, that will help demolish the entire terror ecosystem, said Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday, reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of “zero tolerance for terrorism”.

Speaking at the ‘Anti-Terror Conference-2024’ organised here, HM Shah said the National Counter-terrorism Policy and Strategy will soon be ready for circulation among all states as they have to lead the fight against “terrorism, terrorists and the terror ecosystem.”

Highlighting the importance of infusing technology and training officers in using technology, HM Shah urged state police forces to join hands with Central agencies like the NIA and use federal forensic facilities to demolish the terror ecosystem.

He also paid tributes to 36,468 policemen who laid down their lives for national security and in the fight against terror, claiming that there has been a drop of 70 per cent in terror activities in the country since 2014.

He highlighted the new provisions in the three criminal laws that, for the first time in 76 years after Independence, define terrorism and allow security agencies to pursue trials in absentia against terrorists and financial criminals.

To become a developed nation, the country also needs to upgrade its security system and put in place a unified anti-terrorism ecosystem, he said.

“A strong ecosystem against terror can be built only if all states implement the ATS structure, STF structure and training module suggested by the Central agencies,” he said.

Stressing on the need for information sharing in the battle against terror, HM Shah appreciated the progress made by the Multi-Agency Centre (MAC), under the Intelligence Bureau. Highlighting the important role that states need to play to fight terror, as security is a state subject, the Home Minister called upon police station-level staff not to suppress information but share it with other agencies.

“Suppressing information is not going to help the nation. Police station-level staff need to follow the evolving strategy which started with ‘Need to know’ to ‘Need to share’ and should now be seen as ‘Duty to share’,” he said.

He said state police should join the NIA in building a database of illegal weapons seized across the country.

HM Shah also highlighted the achievements of I4C – Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) – established by the Ministry of Home Affairs to provide a framework and ecosystem for law enforcement against cybercrimes.

The fight against terror would be incomplete without demolishing its financial system. Whether it is cryptocurrency, gold smuggling, drug smuggling or hawala, the state-level security system needs to contribute towards dismantling the terror finance network.

“Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act should be used freely against the financial network of the terror ecosystem,” he said, urging states to coordinate with the NIA on this issue.

The Home Minister also urged the media to highlight recovery of explosives and weapons by the police forces to keep them motivated in the fight against terror.