Terrorism Notebook
U.N. agrees to step up its efforts

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UNITED NATIONS — Facing a surge of attacks around the globe, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously yesterday to step up its campaign against terrorism but backed away from authorizing a new list of terrorists that could be subject to sanctions and punishment.

The resolution states that hostage-taking and other acts against civilians aimed at provoking "a state of terror" can never be justified on political, philosophical, ideological, racial, religious or ethnic grounds. It calls on all nations to prosecute or extradite anyone supporting, financing or participating in these terrorist acts.

The 15-0 vote ended weeks of negotiations by Russia, which introduced the resolution after militants staged a series of attacks there including the suicide hijacking of two planes and the hostage-taking siege at a school in Beslan in which more than 300 people died. It was adopted a day after a spate of deadly car bombings targeted Israelis in Egyptian resorts in Sinai.

When Russia introduced the draft last month, it called for the council to compile a new list of terrorist suspects not linked to al-Qaida or Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers who would be subject to extradition and possible sanctions. The council has already imposed stiff sanctions against those groups. During intense negotiations the resolution was weakened and the only reference to a possible new terrorist list was dropped in order to get the support of Algeria and Pakistan, the only Muslim nations on the council.

U.S. Ambassador John Danforth said the resolution "sets in motion a process in which a list is going to be created."

Embassy bombing puts Paris on alert

PARIS — France tightened security around the capital's embassies yesterday after a bomb outside the Indonesian Embassy slightly injured nine people in a pre-dawn explosion that shattered neighborhood windows and puzzled police.

It was the first such bombing in nearly a decade in Paris and the first known attack since 1975 on Indonesian interests outside that country. Investigators were treating with deep skepticism an e-mailed claim of responsibility from a group that called itself the Armed French Islamic Front, judicial officials said.

Interpol to make terrorists priority

CANCÚN, Mexico — The international police agency Interpol ended its annual meeting yesterday by agreeing terrorism must be its top priority. "Unfortunately, terrorism is our focus because they have the advantage on the field, they know when and where they will attack before we do," said Interpol's outgoing president, Jesus Espigares of Spain.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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