‘No Money for Terror’, International Conference: NIA Director-General Dinkar Gupta

According to NIA Director-General Dinkar Gupta, India has proof that social media platforms are being used to generate terror finances, and the subject will be discussed during a two-day international ministerial summit on fighting terror financing.

During a press briefing prior of the summit, Gupta also stated that Pakistan and Afghanistan would not be attending, while China has yet to confirm.

The Ministry of Home Affairs will conduct the third ‘No Money for Terror Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing,’ which will be opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among others.

When asked if Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan had been invited to the summit, Sanjay Verma, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, responded, “China has been invited,” but stayed mute on the other two neighbors.

Gupta clarified that no country-specific discussions are on the schedule, but that delegates from 73 countries, including ministers from over 20 of them, would debate all topics openly, whether the source of terror, the danger, or its finance.

“Every country participating has the complete right to express its views,” he added.

Terrorism has decreased in India over the previous eight years, according to Gupta, and there has been a “great drop” in terror operations in all “theatres of conflict,” including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, the northeast, and places afflicted by Left Wing Extremism.

He stated that it was a struggle to be waged, and that the government needed to develop its infrastructure, methods, and frameworks to combat global terrorism and its financing.

In response to a question on whether social media platform regulation should be included on the agenda of the terror finance conference, Gupta stated that social media platforms are used to raise financing, fundraising, or as crowd funding platforms.

“We have proof of this type of event occurring. This is an issue that has to be addressed since such platforms are being utilized to raise funds for terrorist operations”, this is a serious issue that must be addressed, whether through classic methods such as hawala, wire transfers, or cash couriers or through new methods that are emerging.

He stated that the seminar follows the recently concluded Interpol General Assembly and UN Counter-Terrorism Committee meetings in India.

According to the DG, all major countries and international organizations such as Interpol and Europol will be present at the conference.

Gupta said the conference would have four sessions: ‘Global Trends in Terrorism and Terrorist Financing,’ ‘Use of Formal and Informal Channels of Funds for Terrorism,’ ‘Emerging Technologies and Terrorist Financing,’ and ‘International Co-operation to Address Challenges in Combating Terrorist Financing.’

Senior ministers will preside over the sessions, including Home Minister Amit Shah and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.

“The two-day conference on the 18th and 19th of November will provide a unique platform for participating nations and organizations to deliberate on the effectiveness of the current international regime on counter-terrorism financing as well as steps required to address emerging challenges,” an official statement said.

The conference will build on the previous two sessions, held in Paris in April 2018 and Melbourne in November 2019, and will aim to improve global collaboration to deny terrorists financial support and access to permissive countries to operate, according to the statement.

Around 450 participants from around the world will attend the event, including ministers, leaders of international organizations, and heads of delegations from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).