Terrorists to be named, assets seized

A list of terrorists and their organizations will be published and their assets in the country will be frozen, said a draft decision made by the State Council, marking a step forward on the nation's effort to crack down on terrorism. According to the draft, terrorist activity refers to behavior aimed at generating social panic, intimidating State agencies or international organizations, and that has caused or intended to result in casualties, major economic loss, damage to public facilities or social disorder through violence, destruction, threats or other means. Meanwhile, stirring up, funding or assisting these activities are also considered terrorist activities. It defines an individual terrorist as a person who organizes, masterminds or carries out such activities and those who participate in a terrorist organization. The draft has been submitted for review to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature. "The lack of a clear definition of terrorist activities, terrorist organizations and their participants has directly hindered the work of cracking down on terrorist activities and the control of the involved assets," Yang Huanning, vice-minister of public security, told a bimonthly meeting of the NPC Standing Committee, which opened on Monday. "It has also affected international anti-terrorist cooperation." The draft decision allows the country's anti-terrorism authority to identify terrorist organizations and terrorists, and the Ministry of Public Security will make public their names and freeze their assets. "If financial institutes or some non-financial agencies discover assets belonging to terrorist organizations or individual terrorists, they should immediately freeze them and report to the anti-money laundering departments and security authorities," Yang said. The draft also entitles the People's Liberation Army, the Armed Police as well as the militia to prevent and eliminate terrorist activities. "The absence of a definition of terrorist activities in the current criminal law cannot meet the practical needs of anti-terrorism work. The draft is a good beginning, but it is far from enough," Li Wei, director of counter-terrorism research center under China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, told China Daily on Monday