NEW YORK: The head of the counterterrorism section of the Saudi permanent mission to the UN, Abdul Majeed bin Abdulrahman Al-Babtain, said that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemns all acts and practices of terrorism. He added that the OIC believes that terrorist acts can never be justified, regardless of motives, objectives, forms and manifestations. This was part of Saudi Arabia’s address on behalf of the OIC at the meeting of the sixth committee of the UN General Assembly on measures to eliminate international terrorism. Al-Babtain reiterated that terrorist acts constitute a flagrant violation of international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law. He added that terrorism jeopardizes the territorial integrity and stability of states and threatens national, regional and international security. Al-Babtain said that the OIC member states have pledged their continued support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of all states in accordance with the charter of the UN and international law. He said: “The OIC rejects associating terrorism with any religion, race, creed or society in this context. And while the organization has been informed of the statements of the presidents and world leaders who have separated Islam from terrorist organizations, we strongly condemn any attempt to link Islam to terrorism to achieve any interests. These attempts can be in the interest of terrorists or may lead to a call for religious hatred, discrimination and hostility towards Muslims. “Accordingly, we strongly believe in the importance of promoting dialogue, understanding and cooperation among religions, cultures and civilizations to achieve global peace and harmony.” Al-Babtain said that the OIC reaffirms its commitment to strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism, highlighting that it believes that a comprehensive approach is necessary for the fight against terrorism. “This should be done by addressing the root causes of terrorism, including the unlawful use of force, aggression, foreign occupation, international conflicts, political marginalization and alienation,” he added, underscoring that it is necessary to combat all terrorist groups and organizations wherever they are. Al-Babtain pointed out that the OIC reiterates the need to distinguish between terrorism and the rights of self-determination and resisting foreign occupation.