د. أحمد مرعي ضيف سيريا تايمز

الثلاثاء, 30 نيسان, 2019

The fact that there is no internationally agreed definition of ‘terrorist acts’ and not putting this type of acts in crimes list has caused the manipulation of legal texts and has led to the emergence of other types of terrorist crimes, such as media terrorism and intellectual terrorism, which Syria and Iraq are witnessing now, according to the Syrian Member of parliament Dr. Ahmad Merei.

The parliamentarian made it clear that US definition of the term [terrorism] put ISIS terrorists and Hezbollah freedom fighters on equal footing and it led to the occupation and destruction of Iraq and the destruction of Afghanistan.

“The United States and Israel are against reaching internationally agreed definition of terrorism because this will show that the Zionist entity is the number one terrorist,” Dr. Merei told the Syria Times e-newspaper.

He, in addition, asserted that some major powers exploit the term ‘Counter-terrorism’ to realize their own interests and to implement their plans against the countries that contradict their policies.

“Violence is being used today to achieve illegitimate objectives, including intellectual and media terrorism, unforeseen risks and new forms of terrorism that restrict the freedom of individuals and societies to exercise democracy and to live in peace,” added the MP, who is specialized in International Law.

He emphasized that US and some western states practice all forms of suppression, occupation, expansion and hegemony to eliminate the struggle of the peoples and the movements of national liberation that are seeking to have self-determination, freedom and independence.

The parliamentarian underlined that the most dangerous thing facing our world today is the major powers’ increasing role in supporting terrorist organizations that terrorize civilians and harm individuals and properties.

“Since the late 1960s, terrorism has continued to transcend borders increasing the risk of the spread of this phenomenon where terrorist organizations have used up-to-date technology to develop the methods of terrorism,” Dr. Merei clarified.

Syria’s Vision Towards Terrorism

From the viewpoint of Syria, there is an urgent need to address the real causes of terrorism and to counter it politically and economically.

Besides, a front against terrorism must be formed to carry out joint missions at international, regional and local levels.

The front’s tasks will be: (1)- to hold an international dialogue in order to agree on the definition of terrorism. (2)- to shed light on the role of the countries that support and develop terrorism. (3)- to play a role at international, regional and local levels for showing the suffering of victims and the negative impacts of terrorism related to the decline in development efforts and the absence of the rule of law.

These proposals were presented by the Syrian parliamentary delegation, who participated in the Conference held on April 18-19 in the Russian city of St. Petersburg, on countering international terrorism.

Dr. Merei, who was among the members of the delegation headed by the MP Sanaa Abu Zaid, asserted that the states that have sponsored terrorism are seeking now to play negative role in the political process in Syria by imposing further coercive and unilateral sanctions on the country and preventing the fund for rebuilding process in it as well as preventing the return of the Syrian refugees - who have been displaced by force- to their homeland.

“The political and financial influence of these states have given terrorist groups immunity from prosecution,” he concluded.

Interviewed by: Basma Qaddour