An international convention banning acts of nuclear terrorism will enter into force next month after it is expected to be ratified by 22 of the 115 countries that have signed it, the UN said Friday, according to dpa. The International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism is designed to prevent and suppress nuclear terrorism, bring to justice planners and perpetrators and promote cooperation among signatories in the sharing of information and providing assistance. It calls also for the extradition of alleged terrorists and cooperation in criminal investigations. On July 7, Bangladesh is expected to be the 22nd signer to have ratified the convention. Other countries that have ratified are Austria, Belarus, Comoros, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Hungary, India, Kenya, Latvia, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain and Macedonia, a former Yugoslav republic. A total of 13 conventions have been adopted by the UN General Assembly to fight global terrorism. The convention banning nuclear terrorism was adopted in 2005 under a Russian initiative following threats that nuclear weapons and materials, which could be obtained on the black market, could be used by terrorists around the world. The assembly has adopted conventions against hijackings, kidnappings, bombings and financing of terrorism. UN legal counsel Nicholas Michel said the convention against nuclear terrorism, once enforced, will strengthen other anti-terrorist conventions. "It will strengthen the international anti-terrorism legal framework by being a valuable addition to already existing universal counter-terrorism norms and obligations," Michel said.
