Terrorist Attacks against Innocent People are Crimes Against Humanity by The Universal Rights Network 9:40pm 7th Jul, 2005   The Universal Rights Network once again emphasizes that terrorist attacks against innocent people anywhere in the world are "Crimes against Humanity".    United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today restated his condemnation of all terror attacks. The Secretary-General stressed that there is no acceptable rationale for random attacks against the innocent. He condemned the use of terror and indiscriminate violence against civilians, which no cause or belief can possibly justify,” his spokesman said. Mr Annan said terrorist bombings are 'attacks on humanity itself'.    The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling on all states "to cooperate actively in efforts to find and bring to justice the perpetrators, organizers and sponsors of these barbaric acts.""    "We are united in our resolve to confront and defeat this terrorism that is an attack, not on one nation, but on all nations and on civilized people everywhere," said a statement issued in the name of all G8 participants, as well as the leaders of Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, India and China.    "We will not allow violence to change our societies or our values. ."Terror attacks will not weaken in any way our resolve to uphold the most deeply held principles of our societies and to defeat those who would impose their fanaticism and extremism on us.    In Paris the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added its voice to the chorus of condemnation. "Terorist attacks are heinous acts that nothing can justify," UNESCO Director General Koïchiro Matsuura said.    The UN Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution saying it regarded any act of terrorism as "a threat to peace and security".    Resolution 1611, adopted unanimously by the council's 15 members, "condemns without reservation the terrorist attacks and regards any act of terrorism as a threat to peace and security".    It also called on all states "to cooperate actively in efforts to find and bring to justice the perpetrators, organisers and sponsors of these barbaric acts".    Greece's UN ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, recent president of the UN Security Council , "I wish to express the Council's outrage and indignation at appalling terrorist attacks against the people anywhere, that cost human life and cause injuries and immense human suffering," he said. "They have to know that the international community is determined more than ever to combat collectively the scourge of terrorism which constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security. Those responsible for these horrendous acts will be brought to justice and punished."    The International Commission of the Red Cross    "Within the scope of international humanitarian law, terrorism and terrorist acts are prohibited under all circumstances, unconditionally and without exception. Protection for the civilian population is the basic principle of humanitarian law; civilians not taking part in fighting must on NO account be the object of attack and must be spared and protected". The 1949 Geneva Conventions and their 1977 Additional Protocols contain specific rules to this effect.    Bertrand Ramcharan, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.    "Nothing can justify attacks against civilians which are "a complete denial of human rights."..."Whatever their claims, those who carry out this type of attack are criminals that must be brought to justice in accordance with international human rights law," he said.    Amnesty International : "The deliberate killing of civilians has no justification and violates fundamental principles of international law. It shows complete contempt for the most fundamental principles of humanity".    Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former Indonesian Security Minister. (Speech on the anniversary of the Bali Bombing Atrocity. October 13, 2003).    "Never mind their nationalities. Never mind their race, religion, ethnicity or profession. They were our sons, our daughters, our fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, cousins, best friends, soul mates. And they were all innocents. .They all had families. But all were rudely taken from us by terrorists who wanted to make a senseless demonstration of their hatred for others...As a Muslim, I should end with a verse from the Koran: Take not life, which Allah hath made sacred, except by way of justice and law: thus doth He command you, that ye may learn wisdom".    Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa: "The secretary general condemns in the strongest terms criminal and terrorist actions which have no purpose except threatening stability, planning evil and terrorising and killing civilians without heeding any religion or creed".    United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan: "all terrorist acts, from whatever quarter and whatever their justification, are morally repugnant and indefensible"..."The Secretary-General wishes to express, once again, his utter condemnation of all such indiscriminate attacks on civilians.They violate all accepted standards of morality, as well as national and international law, and cannot be justified by any cause or ideology".    Sergio Vieira de Mello, former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights;    "Without the right to life, talk of basic human security and dignity holds little meaning. That is a statement of fact; there can be no higher purpose that justifies anyone desecrating this right. Terrorism, and the infliction of such misery on innocents, is an affront to our common humanity: it is the most base violation of our fundamental human rights"    Human Rights Watch: "The logic of terrorism—that the ends justify the means— that leads to the deaths and injury of of innocent people is contrary to the most elementary values of humanity. There can be no justification for acts that assault the right to life and the rule of law".    International humanitarian law prohibits direct attacks against civilians, as well as indiscriminate attacks and attacks that cause disproportionate damage to civilians. A prohibited indiscriminate attack includes using weapons that are incapable of discriminating between civilians and combatants.
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