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Terrorism

Terrorism and violent extremism constitute global threats that transcend cultures and geographical boundaries. The phenomenon of foreign fighters moving from multiple countries to Syria, Iraq, and Libya, and the threat to their countries of origin upon their return, coupled with the internationalization of the terrorist threat and violent extremism by the terrorist group known as the "Islamic State" (ISIL/Da’esh) and other terrorist groups, have directed efforts both within European institutional bodies and internationally towards adopting new actions and policies for more effective countermeasures. Among these are tackling extremism on the Internet, combating the financing of terrorism, the criminal prosecution of terrorists, and the establishment of deradicalization and reintegration programs for foreign fighters into the societies of their countries of origin.

The priorities in combating international terrorism have expanded beyond the suppression of the actions of terrorist groups to highlighting issues of preventing the terrorist threat, such as preventing radicalization and recruitment of new fighters, preventing financial flows, addressing violent extremism and strengthening cooperation with countries in North Africa and the Middle East.

Within the framework of the UN, the Security Council plays a leading role, having established the Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC) in 2001 based on Resolution 1373 (2001), which oversees the implementation of counter-terrorism policy.

In September 2006, the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy was adopted by the General Assembly. This Strategy is the UN's central policy document, while the various issues of counter-terrorism policy are shaped based on it. The Strategy is reviewed biennially and has been revised eight times to date (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2023).

Under the aegis of the UN, the international community, continuing a process that began before Security Council Resolution 1373 (2001), has adopted international legal instruments for combating terrorism. These legal instruments outline the obligations that states undertake as part of their counter-terrorism actions, cover a broad spectrum of actions characterized as terrorist acts, and contain the general guidelines and the comprehensive policy vision against terrorism.

Facing the new challenges that have emerged on the terrorism front, such as the "Islamic State" (ISIL/Da'esh), the phenomenon of foreign fighters and the financing of terrorism, the Security Council adopted resolutions 2170 and 2178 in 2014, 2199, 2214, 2249, and 2253 in 2015, resolution 2322 in 2016, resolution 2396 in 2017 and resolution 2482 in 2019, which, inter alia, call on states to cooperate in addressing them.

In June 2017, the Office of Counter-Terrorism was established at the level of Under-Secretary-General, orchestrating the Organization's efforts in combating terrorism.

Within the framework of the European Union, a fundamental text of the EU is the European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy, adopted in November 2005. It includes four main goals, summarized in the areas of prevention, protection, repression, and response to terrorist activities.

The EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator plays a coordinating role in harmonizing national practices, as well as the policy followed by the EU on the issue of terrorism.

The Conclusions of the Foreign Affairs Council of February 9, 2015, remain the point of reference for the international aspect of combating terrorism, and so do two central strategies of the EU, namely a)the Strategy to combat the Phenomenon of Foreign Fighters in Syria and Iraq and b) the Regional Strategy for Syria, Iraq, and the threat of ISIL/Da'esh. The Conclusions adopted by the FAC (20.06.2017) demonstrate the intention of the member states to strengthen the EU's actions in order to adapt to the new challenges of terrorism.

Greek Activity

Greece has ratified all international legal instruments on the fight against terrorism.

Our country has also been a member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) since 1991. FATF is an intergovernmental body, whose mission is to promote policies through recommendations aimed, inter alia, at combatting terrorism financing.

In the context of the efforts to eliminate the sources of terrorism financing, Greece promotes internationally the issue of addressing the illegal trafficking and sale of antiquities from Iraq and Syria as a source of financing.

In the area of domestic legislation, all necessary measures are taken to prevent the financing of terrorism. The Anti-Money Laundering, Counter-Terrorist Financing and Source of Funds Investigation Authority functions under Law 4557/2018 and constitutes, inter alia, the national unit active in combating terrorism financing.