Interpol - General Assembly 74th Session - Berlin, 19 - 22 September 2005

The ICPO-Interpol General Assembly, meeting in Berlin, Germany, from 19 to 22 September 2005 at its 74th session:

RECALLING Interpol’s long-standing and intense commitment to defeat terrorism, evidenced by previous resolutions directed toward combating terrorism:

AG-2001-RES-05 - Terrorist attack of 11 September 2001 (Budapest, 2001)

AGN/68/RES/2 - The financing of terrorism (Seoul, 1999)

AGN/67/RES/12 - Cairo declaration against terrorism (Cairo, 1998)

AGN/55/RES/3 - Co-operation in terrorist cases; Guide for NCBs and specialized services (Belgrade, 1986)

AGN/53/RES/6 - Violent crime commonly referred to as terrorism (Luxembourg, 1984)

AGN/52/RES/9 - Terrorism (Cannes, 1983)

DEEPLY CONCERNED about the devastating impact of terrorism, including the effect upon the domestic and international political landscape, and its potential impact upon regional stability,

AWARE of evidence that various terrorist cells remain well entrenched and continue to operate internationally, despite the success of investigations into international terrorist organizations,

COMMITTED to disrupting the activities of terrorist groups,

DISTURBED by the exploitation of Internet technologies by terrorists as an enabling resource, and as a means of communication,

ACKNOWLEDGING the United Nations Conventions aimed at combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, especially Article 4 of United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/49/60 of 9 December 1994,

RECOGNIZING the unique position of the General Secretariat to monitor and support international investigations and ongoing operations into terrorist groups and their criminal acts worldwide and the need for a global co-operation in investigating these crime groups,

RESPECTING the sovereignty of nations but recognising that investigations into internet activity and websites that support criminal activity require member countries to collaborate seamlessly across international jurisdictions,

UNDERSTANDING that international investigations, particularly related both to terrorism and the Internet, are complex and especially time sensitive and that, to successfully prosecute international criminals all member countries need to respect the necessity for the continuity of evidence and to ensure information is passed in a particularly timely manner,

STRONGLY ENCOURAGES Member States to enact legislation and establish effective procedures to empower international investigations and prosecutions into websites that support terrorists;

ASKS Member States to introduce national contact points within law enforcement agencies; to facilitate the rapid exchange of information; and, to take part in international investigations, utilizing national legislation to conduct inquiries;

ASKS Member States to introduce legislation to establish effective procedures so that websites that support terrorists can be shut down in an expeditious manner;

URGES the National Central Bureaus of Member States to increase the exchange of information, both amongst themselves and with the General Secretariat, regarding international terrorist networks; and their enabling methodologies, including information regarding the use of the Internet to support criminal activity;

TASKS the General Secretariat with monitoring ongoing operations and calls upon IPSG to convene international operational meetings where intelligence and investigative information is shared between involved agencies and task forces.

Adopted.