United Nations Security Council

Distr.: General
24 September 2014

Resolution 2178 (2014)
Adopted by the Security Council at its 7272nd meeting, on
24 September 2014
The Security Council,

Reaffirming that terrorism in all forms and manifestations constitutes one of
the most serious threats to international peace and security and that any acts of
terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable regardless of their motivations, whenever
and by whomsoever committed, and remaining determined to contribute further to
enhancing the effectiveness of the overall effort to fight this scourge on a global
level,

Noting with concern that the terrorism threat has become more diffuse, with an
increase, in various regions of the world, of terrorist acts including those motivated
by intolerance or extremism, and expressing its determination to combat this threat,
Bearing in mind the need to address the conditions conducive to the spread of
terrorism, and affirming Member States’ determination to continue to do all they can
to resolve conflict and to deny terrorist groups the ability to put down roots and
establish safe havens to address better the growing threat posed by terrorism,
Emphasizing that terrorism cannot and should not be associated with any
religion, nationality or civilization,

Recognizing that international cooperation and any measures taken by Member
States to prevent and combat terrorism must comply fully with the Charter of the
United Nations,

Reaffirming its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political
independence of all States in accordance with the Charter,

Reaffirming that Member States must ensure that any measures taken to
counter terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in
particular international human rights law, international refugee law, and
international humanitarian law, underscoring that respect for human rights,
fundamental freedoms and the rule of law are complementary and mutually
reinforcing with effective counter-terrorism measures, and are an essential part of a
successful counter-terrorism effort and notes the importance of respect for the rule
of law so as to effectively prevent and combat terrorism, and noting that failure to
comply with these and other international obligations, including under the Charter

of the United Nations, is one of the factors contributing to increased radicalization
and fosters a sense of impunity,

Expressing grave concern over the acute and growing threat posed by foreign
terrorist fighters, namely individuals who travel to a State other than their States of
residence or nationality for the purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation
of, or participation in, terrorist acts or the providing or receiving of terrorist
training, including in connection with armed conflict, and resolving to address this
threat,

Expressing grave concern about those who attempt to travel to become foreign
terrorist fighters,

Concerned that foreign terrorist fighters increase the intensity, duration and
intractability of conflicts, and also may pose a serious threat to their States of origin,
the States they transit and the States to which they travel, as well as States
neighbouring zones of armed conflict in which foreign terrorist fighters are active
and that are affected by serious security burdens, and noting that the threat of
foreign terrorist fighters may affect all regions and Member States, even those far
from conflict zones, and expressing grave concern that foreign terrorist fighters are
using their extremist ideology to promote terrorism,

Expressing concern that international networks have been established by
terrorists and terrorist entities among States of origin, transit and destination
through which foreign terrorist fighters and the resources to support them have been
channelled back and forth,

Expressing particular concern that foreign terrorist fighters are being recruited
by and are joining entities such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL),
the Al-Nusrah Front (ANF) and other cells, affiliates, splinter groups or derivatives
of Al-Qaida, as designated by the Committee established pursuant to resolutions
1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011), recognizing that the foreign terrorist fighter threat
includes, among others, individuals supporting acts or activities of Al-Qaida and its
cells, affiliates, splinter groups, and derivative entities, including by recruiting for
or otherwise supporting acts or activities of such entities, and stressing the urgent
need to address this particular threat,

Recognizing that addressing the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters
requires comprehensively addressing underlying factors, including by preventing
radicalization to terrorism, stemming recruitment, inhibiting foreign terrorist fighter
travel, disrupting financial support to foreign terrorist fighters, countering violent
extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism, countering incitement to terrorist
acts motivated by extremism or intolerance, promoting political and religious
tolerance, economic development and social cohesion and inclusiveness, ending and
resolving armed conflicts, and facilitating reintegration and rehabilitation,

Recognizing also that terrorism will not be defeated by military force, law
enforcement measures, and intelligence operations alone, and underlining the need
to address the conditions conducive to the spread of terrorism, as outlined in Pillar I
of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/RES/60/288),

Expressing concern over the increased use by terrorists and their supporters of
communications technology for the purpose of radicalizing to terrorism, recruiting
and inciting others to commit terrorist acts, including through the internet, and

financing and facilitating the travel and subsequent activities of foreign terrorist
fighters, and underlining the need for Member States to act cooperatively to prevent
terrorists from exploiting technology, communications and resources to incite
support for terrorist acts, while respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms
and in compliance with other obligations under international law,

Noting with appreciation the activities undertaken in the area of capacity
building by United Nations entities, in particular entities of the Counter-Terrorism
Implementation Task Force (CTITF), including the United Nations Office of Drugs
and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Centre for Counter-Terrorism
(UNCCT), and also the efforts of the Counter Terrorism Committee Executive
Directorate (CTED) to facilitate technical assistance, specifically by promoting
engagement between providers of capacity-building assistance and recipients, in
coordination with other relevant international, regional and subregional
organizations, to assist Member States, upon their request, in implementation of the
United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy,

Noting recent developments and initiatives at the international, regional and
subregional levels to prevent and suppress international terrorism, and noting the
work of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), in particular its recent
adoption of a comprehensive set of good practices to address the foreign terrorist
fighter phenomenon, and its publication of several other framework documents and
good practices, including in the areas of countering violent extremism, criminal
justice, prisons, kidnapping for ransom, providing support to victims of terrorism,
and community-oriented policing, to assist interested States with the practical
implementation of the United Nations counter-terrorism legal and policy framework
and to complement the work of the relevant United Nations counter-terrorism
entities in these areas,

Noting with appreciation the efforts of INTERPOL to address the threat posed
by foreign terrorist fighters, including through global law enforcement information
sharing enabled by the use of its secure communications network, databases, and
system of advisory notices, procedures to track stolen, forged identity papers and
travel documents, and INTERPOL’s counter-terrorism fora and foreign terrorist
fighter programme,

Having regard to and highlighting the situation of individuals of more than
one nationality who travel to their states of nationality for the purpose of the
perpetration, planning, preparation of, or participation in, terrorist acts or the
providing or receiving of terrorist training, and urging States to take action, as
appropriate, in compliance with their obligations under their domestic law and
international law, including international human rights law,

Calling upon States to ensure, in conformity with international law, in
particular international human rights law and international refugee law, that refugee
status is not abused by the perpetrators, organizers or facilitators of terrorist acts,
including by foreign terrorist fighters,

Reaffirming its call upon all States to become party to the international
counter-terrorism conventions and protocols as soon as possible, whether or not they
are a party to regional conventions on the matter, and to fully implement their
obligations under those to which they are a party,

Noting the continued threat to international peace and security posed by
terrorism, and affirming the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the
Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by
terrorist acts, including those perpetrated by foreign terrorist fighters,

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

1. Condemns the violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism,
sectarian violence, and the commission of terrorist acts by foreign terrorist fighters,
and demands that all foreign terrorist fighters disarm and cease all terrorist acts and
participation in armed conflict;

2. Reaffirms that all States shall prevent the movement of terrorists or
terrorist groups by effective border controls and controls on issuance of identity
papers and travel documents, and through measures for preventing counterfeiting,
forgery or fraudulent use of identity papers and travel documents, underscores, in
this regard, the importance of addressing, in accordance with their relevant
international obligations, the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters, and
encourages Member States to employ evidence-based traveller risk assessment and
screening procedures including collection and analysis of travel data, without
resorting to profiling based on stereotypes founded on grounds of discrimination
prohibited by international law;

3. Urges Member States, in accordance with domestic and international law,
to intensify and accelerate the exchange of operational information regarding
actions or movements of terrorists or terrorist networks, including foreign terrorist
fighters, especially with their States of residence or nationality, through bilateral or
multilateral mechanisms, in particular the United Nations;

4. Calls upon all Member States, in accordance with their obligations under
international law, to cooperate in efforts to address the threat posed by foreign
terrorist fighters, including by preventing the radicalization to terrorism and
recruitment of foreign terrorist fighters, including children, preventing foreign
terrorist fighters from crossing their borders, disrupting and preventing financial
support to foreign terrorist fighters, and developing and implementing prosecution,
rehabilitation and reintegration strategies for returning foreign terrorist fighters;

5. Decides that Member States shall, consistent with international human
rights law, international refugee law, and international humanitarian law, prevent
and suppress the recruiting, organizing, transporting or equipping of individuals
who travel to a State other than their States of residence or nationality for the
purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in, terrorist
acts or the providing or receiving of terrorist training, and the financing of their
travel and of their activities;

6. Recalls its decision, in resolution 1373 (2001), that all Member States
shall ensure that any person who participates in the financing, planning, preparation
or perpetration of terrorist acts or in supporting terrorist acts is brought to justice,
and decides that all States shall ensure that their domestic laws and regulations
establish serious criminal offenses sufficient to provide the ability to prosecute and
to penalize in a manner duly reflecting the seriousness of the offense:

(a) their nationals who travel or attempt to travel to a State other than their
States of residence or nationality, and other individuals who travel or attempt to
travel from their territories to a State other than their States of residence or
nationality, for the purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or
participation in, terrorist acts, or the providing or receiving of terrorist training;

(b) the wilful provision or collection, by any means, directly or indirectly, of
funds by their nationals or in their territories with the intention that the funds should
be used, or in the knowledge that they are to be used, in order to finance the travel
of individuals who travel to a State other than their States of residence or nationality
for the purpose of the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in,
terrorist acts or the providing or receiving of terrorist training; and,

(c) the wilful organization, or other facilitation, including acts of
recruitment, by their nationals or in their territories, of the travel of individuals who
travel to a State other than their States of residence or nationality for the purpose of
the perpetration, planning, or preparation of, or participation in, terrorist acts or the
providing or receiving of terrorist training;

7. Expresses its strong determination to consider listing pursuant to
resolution 2161 (2014) individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated
with Al-Qaida who are financing, arming, planning, or recruiting for them, or
otherwise supporting their acts or activities, including through information and
communications technologies, such as the internet, social media, or any other
means;

8. Decides that, without prejudice to entry or transit necessary in the
furtherance of a judicial process, including in furtherance of such a process related
to arrest or detention of a foreign terrorist fighter, Member States shall prevent the
entry into or transit through their territories of any individual about whom that State
has credible information that provides reasonable grounds to believe that he or she
is seeking entry into or transit through their territory for the purpo se of participating
in the acts described in paragraph 6, including any acts or activities indicating that
an individual, group, undertaking or entity is associated with Al-Qaida, as set out in
paragraph 2 of resolution 2161 (2014), provided that nothing in this paragraph shall
oblige any State to deny entry or require the departure from its territories of its own
nationals or permanent residents;

9. Calls upon Member States to require that airlines operating in their
territories provide advance passenger information to the appropriate national
authorities in order to detect the departure from their territories, or attempted entry
into or transit through their territories, by means of civil aircraft, of individuals
designated by the Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and
1989 (2011) (“the Committee”), and further calls upon Member States to report any
such departure from their territories, or such attempted entry into or transit through
their territories, of such individuals to the Committee, as well as sharing this
information with the State of residence or nationality, as appropriate and in
accordance with domestic law and international obligations;

10. Stresses the urgent need to implement fully and immediately this
resolution with respect to foreign terrorist fighters, underscores the particular and
urgent need to implement this resolution with respect to those foreign terrorist
fighters who are associated with ISIL, ANF and other cells, affiliates, splinter
groups or derivatives of Al-Qaida, as designated by the Committee, and expresses its

readiness to consider designating, under resolution 2161 (2014), individuals
associated with Al-Qaida who commit the acts specified in paragraph 6 above;

International Cooperation

11. Calls upon Member States to improve international, regional, and
subregional cooperation, if appropriate through bilateral agreements, to prevent the
travel of foreign terrorist fighters from or through their territories, including through
increased sharing of information for the purpose of identifying fore ign terrorist
fighters, the sharing and adoption of best practices, and improved understanding of
the patterns of travel by foreign terrorist fighters, and for Member States to act
cooperatively when taking national measures to prevent terrorists from exploiting
technology, communications and resources to incite support for terrorist acts, while
respecting human rights and fundamental freedoms and in compliance with other
obligations under international law;

12. Recalls its decision in resolution 1373 (2001) that Member States shall
afford one another the greatest measure of assistance in connection with criminal
investigations or proceedings relating to the financing or support of terrorist acts,
including assistance in obtaining evidence in their possession necessary for the
proceedings, and underlines the importance of fulfilling this obligation with respect
to such investigations or proceedings involving foreign terrorist fighters;

13. Encourages Interpol to intensify its efforts with respect to the foreign
terrorist fighter threat and to recommend or put in place additional resources to
support and encourage national, regional and international measures to monitor and
prevent the transit of foreign terrorist fighters, such as expanding the use of
INTERPOL Special Notices to include foreign terrorist fighters;

14. Calls upon States to help build the capacity of States to address the threat
posed by foreign terrorist fighters, including to prevent and interdict foreign
terrorist fighter travel across land and maritime borders, in particular the States
neighbouring zones of armed conflict where there are foreign terrorist fighters, and
welcomes and encourages bilateral assistance by Member States to help build such
national capacity;

Countering Violent Extremism in Order to Prevent Terrorism
15. Underscores that countering violent extremism, which can be conducive
to terrorism, including preventing radicalization, recruitment, and mobilization of
individuals into terrorist groups and becoming foreign terrorist fighters is an
essential element of addressing the threat to international peace and security posed
by foreign terrorist fighters, and calls upon Member States to enhance efforts to
counter this kind of violent extremism;

16. Encourages Member States to engage relevant local communities and
non-governmental actors in developing strategies to counter the violent extremist
narrative that can incite terrorist acts, address the conditions conducive to the spread
of violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism, including by
empowering youth, families, women, religious, cultural and education leaders, and
all other concerned groups of civil society and adopt tailored approaches to
countering recruitment to this kind of violent extremism and promoting social
inclusion and cohesion;

17. Recalls its decision in paragraph 14 of resolution 2161 (2014) with
respect to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and individuals, groups,
undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, and urges Member States, in
this context, to act cooperatively when taking national measures to prevent terrorists
from exploiting technology, communications and resources, including audio and
video, to incite support for terrorist acts, while respecting human rights and
fundamental freedoms and in compliance with other obligations under international
law;

18. Calls upon Member States to cooperate and consistently support each
other’s efforts to counter violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism,
including through capacity building, coordination of plans and efforts, and sharing
lessons learned;

19. Emphasizes in this regard the importance of Member States’ efforts to
develop non-violent alternative avenues for conflict prevention and resolution by
affected individuals and local communities to decrease the risk of radicalization to
terrorism, and of efforts to promote peaceful alternatives to violent narratives
espoused by foreign terrorist fighters, and underscores the role education can play
in countering terrorist narratives;

United Nations Engagement on the Foreign Terrorist Fighter Threat

20. Notes that foreign terrorist fighters and those who finance or otherwise
facilitate their travel and subsequent activities may be eligible for inclusion on the
Al-Qaida Sanctions List maintained by the Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267
(1999) and 1989 (2011) where they participate in the financing, planning,
facilitating, preparing, or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with,
under the name of, on behalf of, or in support of, Al-Qaida, supplying, selling or
transferring arms and related materiel to, or recruiting for, or otherwise supporting
acts or activities of Al-Qaida or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative
thereof, and calls upon States to propose such foreign terrorist fighters and those
who facilitate or finance their travel and subsequent activities for possible
designation;

21. Directs the Committee established pursuant to resolution 1267 (1999)
and 1989 (2011) and the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, in
close cooperation with all relevant United Nations counter-terrorism bodies, in
particular CTED, to devote special focus to the threat posed by foreign terrorist
fighters recruited by or joining ISIL, ANF and all groups, undertakings and entities
associated with Al-Qaida;

22. Encourages the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team to
coordinate its efforts to monitor and respond to the threat posed by foreign terrorist
fighters with other United Nations counter-terrorism bodies, in particular the
CTITF;

23. Requests the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, in close
cooperation with other United Nations counter-terrorism bodies, to report to the
Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) within
180 days, and provide a preliminary oral update to the Committee within 60 days,
on the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters recruited by or joining ISIL,

(a) a comprehensive assessment of the threat posed by these foreign t errorist
fighters, including their facilitators, the most affected regions and trends in
radicalization to terrorism, facilitation, recruitment, demographics, and financing;
and

(b) recommendations for actions that can be taken to enhance the response to
the threat posed by these foreign terrorist fighters;

24. Requests the Counter-Terrorism Committee, within its existing mandate
and with the support of CTED, to identify principal gaps in Member States’
capacities to implement Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005)
that may hinder States’ abilities to stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters, as well
as to identify good practices to stem the flow of foreign terrorist fighters in the
implementation of resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1624 (2005), and to facilitate
technical assistance, specifically by promoting engagement between providers of
capacity-building assistance and recipients, especially those in the most affected
regions, including through the development, upon their request, of comprehensive
counter-terrorism strategies that encompass countering violent radicalization and the
flow of foreign terrorist fighters, recalling the roles of other relevant actors, for
example the Global Counterterrorism Forum;

25. Underlines that the increasing threat posed by foreign terrorist fighte rs is
part of the emerging issues, trends and developments related to resolutions 1373
(2001) and 1624 (2005), that, in paragraph 5 of resolution 2129 (2013), the Security
Council directed CTED to identify, and therefore merits close attention by the
Counter-Terrorism Committee, consistent with its mandate;

26. Requests the Committee established pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999)
and 1989 (2011) and the Counter-Terrorism Committee to update the Security
Council on their respective efforts pursuant to this resolution;

27. Decides to remain seized of the matter