UN votes to press countries to stop terrorists getting nukes, other WMDs

The UN Security Council voted unanimously to keep pressing all countries to implement a resolution aimed at keeping nuclear, chemical and biological weapons out of the hands of terrorists, black marketeers and others.

The council resolution on Wednesday approved by a 15-0 vote extends the mandate of the committee monitoring implementation of the 2004 resolution on the threat of “non-state actors” obtaining or trafficking weapons of mass destruction for 10 years until November 30, 2032. It also continues support for the committee’s group of experts.

The resolution calls on the committee and the 193 UN member nations to take into account the use by non-government groups and individuals of rapid advances in science and technology to spread the use of these banned weapons.

The council says in the resolution that it is “gravely concerned” at the threat of terrorism and the risk that non-state actors may acquire, develop, traffic in or use” nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, including by relying on advances in science and technology.

The April 2004 resolution was adopted in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States to close what then US President George W Bush called a loophole that could allow terror groups to gain weapons of mass destruction.

International treaties had targeted weapons proliferation by governments, but at the time there were no laws to prevent “non-state actors” such as terrorists, corrupt scientists, black market actors and others from obtaining WMDs.