Cambodia Could Become Terror Source

Cambodia Could Become Terror Source, Warns Security Council Panel Chairman

Cambodia could become a breeding ground for terrorism if it does not receive urgently needed international cooperation to boost its ability to confront the scourge, the Chairman of the United Nations Security Council’s committee on sanctions against Al-Qaida and the Taliban warned today.

Briefing the press on his recent mission to the Philippines, Cambodia, Thailand and Australia, Ambassador Heraldo Muñoz of Chile noted that Cambodia’s Muslim community in the south have suffered discrimination, while there have been reports of violence in that part of the country.

“Let us remember that Hambali, the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, spent some time in Cambodia,” he said, referring to a group listed as belonging to or associated with Al-Qaida. “He was not vacationing there, clearly.”

As to the overall purpose of the trip, Mr. Muñoz said the visits aimed to verify conditions on the ground and to discuss with governments any problems regarding implementation of the sanctions as well as ways to improve the sanctions regime in the future. He also noted that the countries vary widely in terms of compliance with the sanctions based on their ability to do so and the degree of their political willingness to confront the threat of Al-Qaida.

The Committee was established in 1999 through resolution 1267 and is charged with reviewing implementation of the sanctions regime against Al-Qaida, the Taliban and associated individuals and entities. The measures, later tightened through subsequent Council resolutions, call for countries to freeze financial resources – including funds derived or generated by any undertaking owned or controlled by the Taliban – and to ensure that they are not used by the group.

States are also obliged to freeze funds and other financial assets of Usama bin Laden and his associates in the Al-Qaida organization, and to prevent their entry or transit through the State's territory. In addition, nations must prevent the supply, sale and transfer of all arms and materiel – along with any form of military training – to the named individuals and entities.

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