Arrangements for Security Council anti-terror committee kept until changes take effect

After recently agreeing to a new structure for its Counter-terrorism Committee (CTC), the United Nations Security Council today confirmed that the current operational arrangements of the Committee's bureau will remain until the new changes take effect.

In an open session, the current Council President, Jean-Marc de La Sablière of France, read a statement in which the Council reaffirmed Resolution 1373, which established the Committee, and recalled the President's statement of 16 October 2003, which had confirmed the continuation of the arrangements for the CTC Bureau until 4 April 2004.

Last week, the Council unanimously decided to restructure the CTC into a Plenary, comprising all 15 Member States, and a Bureau, made up of the Chair and Vice-Chairs, as well as the consolidated expert and Secretariat staff, known as the Counter Terrorism Executive Directorate (CTED), headed by an Executive Director.

The move was made to make the CTC more agile and efficient in helping Member States comply with Resolution 1373, which was adopted in the wake of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks against the United States. That text called on countries to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, refrain from providing any support to entities or persons involved in terrorist acts, and deny safe haven to those who finance, plan, support and commit such acts.