Urging the Interpol to speed up the process of issuing Red Notice against fugitive offenders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday said “there can be no safe havens for the corrupt, terrorists, drug cartels, poaching gangs or organised crime”. Addressing the inaugural session of Interpol’s 90th General Assembly in New Delhi – it is being held in India after 25 years — Modi said, “Such crimes against people in one place are crimes against everyone, crimes against humanity. Further, these not only harm our present but also impact our future generations. Police and law enforcement agencies need to devise procedures and protocols to increase cooperation. Interpol can help by speeding up Red Corner Notices for fugitive offenders.” “A safe and secure world is our shared responsibility. When the forces of good cooperate, the forces of crime cannot operate,” he said. Representatives from 195 countries are participating in the three-day session that began at Pragati Maidan. The session will discuss strategies for international cooperation on terrorism, drug trafficking, international crime syndicates and child sex abuse offences. Interpol recently declined to issue a Red Notice against Khalistani separatist Gurpantwant Singh Pannun. The Canada-based chief of the banned Sikhs For Justice is wanted in several cases of terrorism registered by the National Investigation Agency. On October 12, The Indian Express reported that the Interpol rejected India’s request stating that Indian authorities failed to provide sufficient information to support their case. At the inaugural address, where representatives from Canada and Pakistan were present, the Prime Minister said, “Despite all the past successes, today, I want to remind the world about a few things. There are many harmful globalised threats that the world faces. Terrorism, corruption, drug trafficking, poaching and organised crime. The pace of change of these dangers is faster than earlier. When threats are global, the response cannot be just local. It is high time that the world comes together to defeat these threats.” He said India had been combating trans-national terrorism for several decades, long before the world woke up to the threat. He also spoke on going after the corrupt and called corruption a “dangerous threat”. “Corruption and financial crimes have harmed the welfare of the citizens of many countries. The corrupt find a way to park the proceeds of crime in different parts of the world… This is one of the major sources of terror funding.” “From illegal drugs that destroy young lives to human trafficking, from weakening democracies to the sale of illegal arms, this dirty money funds many destructive enterprises. Yes, there are diverse legal and procedural frameworks to deal with them. However, there is a need for the global community to work even faster to eliminate safe havens,” he said. Underlining that a safe and secure world is shared responsibility, Modi said, “It is no longer enough that terrorism is fought only in the physical space. It is now spreading its presence through online radicalisation and cyber threats. At the click of a button, an attack can be executed or systems can be brought to their knees. Each nation is working on strategies against them. But what we do within our borders is no longer enough.” “There is a need to further develop international strategies. Establishment of early detection and warning systems, protecting transportation services, security for communication infrastructure, security for critical infrastructure, technical and technological assistance, intelligence exchange, many of these things need to be taken to a new level,” he said. Extolling the virtues of India’s democracy and its diversity, Modi said Indian police have a tough task implementing more than 900 national and around 10,000 state laws. He said Indian festivals, such as the Kumbh Mela, attract millions of pilgrims where police have to maintain order. “With all this, our police forces work while respecting the diversity and rights of the people promised by the Constitution. They not only protect the people but also serve our democracy.” “Take the scale of India’s free, fair and massive elections. Elections involve arrangements for around 900 million electors. This is close to the population of North and South American continents taken together. About 2.3 million police personnel are deployed to help with the elections. In upholding diversity and democracy, India is a case study for the world,” he said. Addressing the gathering, Interpol president Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi of the UAE, said Interpol would work towards increasing cooperation among member countries, ensuring no member is too big or too small, with more transparency in functions and having a staff that is as diverse as the member countries. “Our organisation must not be politicised. By remaining neutral and through transparency, we will strengthen our unity,” he said. He urged member countries to contribute to Interpol databases and also use them to fight crime. He said only 68 countries had contributed to international child sexual abuse database.
