Security Council backs terrorism crackdown

UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a U.S.-sponsored resolution Friday night demanding that all countries take sweeping measures to crack down on terrorism.

Responding to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, the council set out a new set of requirements that every nation must meet to cut off funding and support for terrorist activities and improve the exchange of information about terrorist networks.

To ensure that all countries adopt the measures, the council created a Security Council committee to monitor their efforts.

While the resolution stops short of threatening sanctions against those countries that fail to abide by the anti-terrorism measures, it does express the council's determination "to take all necessary steps to ensure the full implementation."

Under the resolution, all countries must make the "willful" financing and funding of terrorism a criminal offense, immediately freeze terrorist-related funds, and prevent movement of individuals and groups suspected of terrorist connections.

Every nation must also stop all forms of support to people or groups involved in terrorist acts and deny them "safe haven." The recruitment and supply of weapons to terrorist members and groups must end, and all countries must accelerate the exchange of operational information, especially regarding actions or movements of terrorists and terrorist networks.

"Tonight probably the Security Council made history," said France's U.N. Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, the current council president. "Tonight we have adopted a very ambitious, comprehensive strategy to fight terrorism in all its forms throughout the world."