New Delhi: Union Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Saturday that the recent Texas synagogue siege in the US underlined the fact that an international network of terror, with its epicentre in India’s neighbourhood, is very much active.
Citing the Texas incident – in which British national Malik Faisal Akram was shot dead by the FBI after taking four people hostage – Shringla emphasised on the need for strong counter-terrorism measures.
“You would recall the horrific 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack in which Indian, German and other nationals had lost their lives. The recent incident in Texas, United States, once again demonstrates that the international network of terror, with its epicentre in India’s neighbourhood, is very much active and has long-lasting implications. This is a global threat that requires an unambiguous, undivided, effective and collective response,” Shringla said while addressing a symposium on ‘Potential for Indo-European/German cooperation in Indo-Pacific.’
The British hostage-taker was demanding the release of Pakistani neuroscientist Afia Siddiqui, who is suspected to be linked to Al Qaeda.
Pointing out that counter-terrorism was a key area of cooperation between strategic partners, Shringla said: “Failure to cooperate could only embolden terrorists towards more audacity.”
The senior diplomat suggested creation of a “common rules-based order for the region” that will enable all countries to use “common spaces on sea and in the air, engage in unimpeded commerce, and peacefully settle disputes in accordance with international law.”
