Free societies must join hands
to fight terror: Brajesh Mishra

As targets of international terrorism, democratic nations should form an alliance to combat the scourge and develop a multilateral mechanism to counter it, National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra has said.

Mishra, on a two-day visit to Washington for interaction with key Bush administration officials, said India, US and Israel 'have to jointly face the same ugly face of modern day terrorism' and "Such an alliance would have the political will and moral authority to take bold decisions in extreme cases of terrorist provocation."

"It would not get bogged down in definitional and causal arguments about terrorism. Blocking financial supplies, disrupting networks, sharing intelligence, simplifying extradition procedures -- these are preventive measures which can only be effective through international cooperation based on trust and shared values," he said at the American Jewish Committee's Annual Dinner on Thursday.

Mishra dismissed as 'nonsense' justifications advanced by some countries for terrorism by calling it a 'freedom struggle'.

"Terrorist attacks against innocents," said Mishra, "have no justification. Democratic societies, which address the 'root causes' of alienation and anger through pluralism and socioeconomic justice, are precisely the targets of terrorism."

Global terrorism, said Mishra, did not start on September 11, 2001. But that date marks a global awakening to its reach.

After over a year and a half of the global fight against terrorism, said Mishra, it is far from over. The leaders of the Al Qaeda remain at large.

"We keep hearing that they have the know-how and the material to build at least a crude radiological device. This is naturally a matter of extreme concern. We cannot ignore the spectre of globalisation of terror and its intersection with Weapons of Mass Destruction."

"We see worrying signs of a regrouping of Taliban elements in southern and southeastern Afghanistan, and this is only a segment of the international terrorist network. It will, therefore, be a long haul and its success would require a genuine commitment to its objectives by every member of the international coalition."

Hailing the American Jewish Committee for its pioneering work, particularly in promoting human rights and combating religious discrimination, Mishra said India also values its contribution to promoting US-India and India-Israel relations.

India, the United States and Israel, said Mishra, have some fundamental similarities. They are all democracies, sharing a common vision of pluralism, tolerance and equal opportunity.

Stronger India-U.S. relations and India-Israel relations have a natural logic.

The increased contact between the American Jewish Committee and the Indian-American community, said Mishra, is 'another positive reflection of shared values of our peoples'.