Lok Sabha Question No. 4919 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-23
Subject: Joint Statement on Terror Financing
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Sudheer Gupta, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Bidyut Baran Mahato

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4919

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 rd  JULY, 2019/ SHRAVANA 01, 1941 (SAKA) JOINT STATEMENT ON TERROR FINANCING

4919.

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA: SHRI SANJAY SADASHIV RAO MANDLIK: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether India has vowed in a recent BRICS meet that all types of support for terrorism must be stopped as terrorism is the biggest threat to humanity and it harms economic progress and social stability of a nation;
- (b) if so, whether India along with G-20 members have issued a joint statement to prevent financing of terrorist  networks and terrorist activities from their territories;
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government to prevent terror funding in the country;
- (d)  whether  the  Union  Government  has  issued  any  directives  to  all  the  State Governments to take stringent measures in order to put a check on such illegal trade; and
- (e)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reaction  of  the  State  Governments  in  this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a)  to  (e):  During  the  Informal  BRICS  Meeting,  on  the  margins  of  G20  Osaka Summit  (28-29  June,  2019),  India  along  with  other  BRICS  members  strongly condemned  terrorist  attacks  in  all  forms  and  manifestations.  Members  urged concerted efforts and a comprehensive approach to counter terrorism under the UN  auspices  on  a  firm  international  legal  basis.  They  reiterated  that  it  is  the responsibility  of  all  states  to  prevent  financing  of  terrorist  networks  and  of terrorist actions from their territories. They also reiterated their commitment to fight the exploitation of internet for terrorist purposes.

## LS.USQ.NO.4919 FOR 23.07.2019

During  recently  held  G20  Summit  at  Osaka,  Japan  (28-29  June,  2019),  leaders issued  a  'G20  Osaka  Leaders'  Statement  on  Preventing  Exploitation  of  the Internet  for  Terrorism  and  Violent  Extremism  Conducive  to  Terrorism  (VECT). Earlier, at Hamburg G20 Summit in July 2017, Leaders issued 'The Hamburg G20 Leaders'  Statement  on  Countering  Terrorism'.  In  the  said  Statement,  G20 members  underlined  their  resolve  to  make  the  international  financial  system entirely hostile to terrorist financing. They reaffirmed their commitment to tackle all sources, techniques and channels of terrorist financing.

The Government has taken various steps to combat terror financing in the country, which inter alia, include:-

- i) Strengthening  the  provisions  in  the  Unlawful  Activities  (Prevention)  Act, 1967 to combat terror financing by criminalizing the production or smuggling or circulation  of  high  quality  counterfeit  Indian  currency  as  a  terrorist  act  and enlarge the scope of proceeds of terrorism to include any property intended to be used for terrorism.
2. ii) A  Terror  Funding  and  Fake  Currency  (TFFC)  Cell  has  been  constituted  in National  Investigation  Agency  (NIA)  to  conduct  focused  investigation  of  terror funding and fake currency cases.
3. iii) An  advisory  on  terror  financing  has  been  issued  in  April  2018  to  States/ Union  Territories.  Guidelines  have  also  been  issued  in  March,  2019  to  States/ Union  Territories  for  investigation  of  cases  of  high  quality  counterfeit  Indian currency notes.

vi) action as per law.

## LS.USQ.NO.4919 FOR 23.07.2019

iv)  Training programmes are regularly conducted for the State Police personnel on issues relating to combating terrorist financing. v) Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) network is one of the channels of terror financing in India, FICN Coordination Group (FCORD) has been formed by the MHA to share intelligence/information among the security agencies of the states/centre to counter the problem of circulation of fake currency notes. Intelligence and security agencies of Centre and States work in tandem to keep a close watch on the elements involved in terror funding activities and take

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