HC Deb 25 January 1990 vol 165 cc881-2W
131. Rev. Martin Smyth

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will report on progress in the fight against international terrorism.

Mr. Waddington

We continue to work vigorously with like-minded countries to strengthen the international co-operation which is crucial in preventing and combating international terrorism. The 44th United Nations General Assembly recently reaffirmed its unequivocal opposition to terrorism and urged all Governments to act firmly against it. Practical measures are being developed in bodies like the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which as part of its continuing work to improve aviation security is making good progress on a new international regime for marking explosives for detection. In the Trevi Group, EC member states have strengthened their procedures for informing one another about terrorist threats and incidents and counter terrorist measures. The group is studying further measures such as action against the financial base of terrorist groups.

The fruit of such co-operation can be seen in the current prosecutions in Europe and the United States of a number of people suspected of involvement in terrorist activities threatening United Kingdom interests.