Protection of fundamental rights and freedoms and anti-terrorism legislation

Terrorism a veritable hydra of modern times undoubtedly represents a fundamental challenge not only to the rule of law but also to the international community as a whole. After the attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington on September 11 2001 this real threat with its devastating impact on human security and development mobilized the States of the international community more than any other threat to international security. Today the terrorist threat has become deterritorialized internationalized and globalized as has the fight against it. In a world of growing interdependence no state can claim to be immune to such a threat. The Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime - Antonio Maria COSTA - confirms this trend when he declares that today terrorism knows no limits; it does not target a particular nationality it respects no religion.