What is terrorism? Anti-terrorism measures in Vietnam

What is terrorism? Anti-terrorism measures in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. What is terrorism?

According to Clause 1, Article 3 of the Anti-Terrorism Law 2013, terrorism means one, several or all of the following acts committed by organizations or individuals with the aim to oppose the people’s authorities, to compel the people’s authorities, foreign organizations and international organizations, cause difficulties to the international relations of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam or cause panic situation in the public:

- Infringing upon the lives, health, and body liberty or threatening to infringe upon the lives or intimidating mental of others;

- Appropriating, damaging, destroying or threatening to destroy assets; attacking, infringing upon, obstructing or causing disorder to, operation of computer networks, telecommunication networks, Internet and digital equipment of agencies, organizations or individuals;

- Guiding the manufacture, production and use of, or manufacturing, producing, storing, transporting, trading in, weapons, explosives, radioactive materials, poison, inflammables and other instruments and means in serve of committing the acts defined at Point a and Point b, Clause 1 of this Article;

- Propagating, dragging into, inciting, forcing, hiring, or creating conditions for, or assisting for, the commission of the acts defined at Points a, b and c, Clause 1 of this Article;

- Establishing, participating in the organization, recruitment, training and coaching of objects with the aim to commit the acts defined at Points a, b, c and d, Clause 1 of this Article;

- Other acts that are considered terrorism under the anti-terrorism international treaties of which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a member.

2. Anti-terrorism measures in Vietnam

Anti-terrorism measures in Vietnam are prescribed in Article 30 of the Anti-Terrorism Law 2013 as follows:

- Anti- terrorism is carried out with measures as prescribed in this Law and the law on protecting national security and keeping social order and safety.

- Urgent anti-terrorism measures are those applied as soon as terrorism has happened or is happening or when there are grounds to assume that terrorism will happen, so as to timely prevent terrorism, and eliminate or limit harms caused by terrorism. Urgent anti-terrorism measures include:

+ Encircling and blockading the zone happening terrorism;

+ Rescuing hostages, giving first aid to victims, isolating people, removing vehicles and assets out of the dangerous terrorist zone;

+ Negotiating with terrorists;

+ Encircling, tracing, controlling and arresting terrorists; invalidating weapons, instruments and means used for terrorism;

+ Attacking and annihilating terrorists, destroying weapons, instruments and means used for terrorism;

+ Temporarily stopping means of transport and means of information and communications which are misused for terrorism;

+ Dismantling houses and construction works, removing obstacles for anti-terrorism activities; placing obstacles to obstruct terrorist activities;

+ Protecting, moving, hiding and camouflaging the works and targets subject to terrorists’ attack;

+ Mobilizing forces and means for anti-terrorism;

+ Checking and blockading accounts or financial sources; stopping transactions in money and assets; temporarily seizing money and assets involving terrorism;

+ Opening, checking and seizing mails, telegraphs, postal matters, postal parcels and goods packages or bales involving terrorism;

+ Collecting documents and evidence involving terrorism.

3. Anti-terrorism in respect to the overseas Vietnamese agencies, organizations and citizens

When there are grounds to assume that terrorism has happened or will happen against the overseas Vietnamese agencies, organizations or citizens, heads of overseas representative missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam must immediately apply necessary measures under their competence and in accordance with international law and laws of the host countries and timely report them to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the National Anti-Terrorism Steering Committee.

(Article 32 of the Anti-Terrorism Law 2013)

Diem My

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