Identity And Travel Documents And The Fight Against Terrorism

Although the vast majority of persons applying for and using identity and travel documents do so for lawful purposes, they are also used by terrorists, for whom they constitute an important tool. Genuine identity documents in particular, obtained through lawful procedures, are vital to terrorists' operational success. Recommendation Rec(2005)7 of the Committee of Ministers to member states concerning identity and travel documents and the fight against terrorism therefore aims to ensure the proper, rapid and reliable identification of individuals, in particular as regards the issuing of such documents. It calls on member states to take measures to strengthen the security of identity and travel documents and indicates the appropriate course of action to take when such documents are lost stolen. The recommendation also contains provisions dealing with proof of identity as well as registration of birth and issuance of births certificates, which are necessary to obtain identity and travel documents. Finally, the recommendation contains provisions dealing with international co-operation calling for the exchange of information with other member states and with international law enforcement bodies, in particular regarding lost or stolen identity and travel documents, whether issued or blank.

Volume 108 of Terrorism: Commentary on Security Documents tackles the contentious issue that appears in the volume's title: "Extraordinary Rendition". Although many commentators and publications have focused on the U.S. policy of such troubling transfers, little focus has been devoted to the reaction to this policy by the rest of the world. In this volume, new General Co-Editor Aziz Huq both presents the key documents demonstrating that reaction and comments authoritatively on what those documents mean for the future of torture-based international transfers. For ease of research, Huq has divided the volume into two sections: the first deals with U.N. and E.U. responses to the U.S. policy, including a case before the U.N. Committee Against Torture, and the second section tours the reports and cases on rendition that have arisen from national jurisdictions, specifically Italy, Sweden, the U.K., ireland, and Canada.

International anti-terrorism measures existed long before 11 September 2001 but have increased markedly since. A myriad of norms in different branches of law are now deployed to confront transnational and domestic terrorism. There is also a proliferating body of 'soft law' addressing terrorism, stemming from United Nations organs, specialised international bodies and regional organisations. It is timely to draw together these diverse legal developments over time into a single reference work. Bringing the original documents together provides for ease of reference and enables scholars, practitioners and students to more easily compare and contrast various sources. The book's coverage is comprehensive (thematically, organisationally, geographically and temporally) and open to a balance of sources (hard and soft), but is judicious in its selection and prioritisation of the most significant and representative documents - in a field where there are many repetitive or insubstantial documents. Importantly, the book looks beyond the traditional trans-Atlantic bias towards European, British and American sources in this area to include materials from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. Taken as a whole, the book aids in evidencing the emerging field of international anti-terrorism law.

This volume provides a timely analysis of global and regional responses to international terrorism. The work assesses the role of the United Nations and its various organs, particularly the General Assembly and the Security Council, and discusses the key legal issues. The second part of the book examines the activity of regional organizations both in their own right as well as their interaction with the UN. The volume concludes with a discussion of whether, to what extent and how the fight against terrorism has encroached upon fundamental rules of international law such as the international protection of human rights or the use of force among states. The volume is the latest in a series drawing on the presentations of high ranking scholars, diplomats and representatives of international organizations. The result is a stimulating and thought-provoking book which will be of interest to researchers and policy-makers alike.

The Council of Europe has been dedicated, since 1949, to upholding human rights, the rule of law and pluralist democracy. Terrorism repudiates these three fundamental values and the Council of Europe is determined to combat it. This is the third edition of this publication which contains the texts of international legal instruments and standards, drafted by the Council, which reflect the importance it attaches to combating terrorism while upholding the basic values that are the common heritage of the European continent. The texts are organised under the following headings: European Conventions; Committee of Ministers; Parliamentary Assembly; European Minister of Justice; European Ministers responsible for Cultural Affairs; Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe; European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and Intergovernmental Committees.

Co-operation between law enforcement authorities is a key aspect of the fight against terrorism. Recommendation Rec (2007) 1 of the Council of Ministers seeks to strengthen co-operation between member states in this area through enhanced use of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO-lnterpol), including the Global Police Communications System I-24/7, relevant databases and the real-time, operational support for police services as set out in the appendix to this recommendation. The Council of Europe's Committee of Experts on Terrorism (CODEXTER) is entrusted with the task of following-up its implementation.

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