NIA: Central, state agencies agree on collaborative efforts to combat terrorism

Various central and state agencies besides police forces agreed on the need for stronger collaborative efforts backed by a standardised strategy to combat terrorism, particularly with respect to cybercrime during a two-day anti-terror conference organised by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which concluded on Friday.

The conference focused on the need for a unified approach to deal with terrorism across states in the interest of national security, according to an official statement.

Consensus emerged during the sessions on the importance of a holistic, well-rounded strategy, encompassing the entire national framework extending from the government down to the lowest levels of policing and investigation, it said.

“The National Investigation Agency’s (NIA’s) two-day Anti-Terror Conference concluded on Friday with a consensus among various central and state agencies and police forces on the need for stronger collaborative efforts backed by a standardized strategy to combat the menace of terrorism, particularly with respect to cybercrime and financial terrorism,” the statement said.

There was a broad consensus that while Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UA(P)A is a powerful legal tool to tackle terror, it should be applied carefully and judiciously to avoid potential misuse and ensure its effectiveness in combating terrorism, it said.