UN General Assembly To Focus On War On Extremists
By ZEINA KARAM, Associated Press | September 21, 2014 | Updated: September 21, 2014 1:20pm
NEW YORK (AP) — A brutal terrorist organization that calls itself a state but lacks recognition from any government will take center stage when more than 140 heads of state and government convene for the annual ministerial meeting of the U.N. General Assembly this week.
The head of the so-called Islamic State, a man called Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, has not been invited. But the danger posed by his jihadi army will be the overriding theme for an international community horrified by its atrocities in Iraq and Syria, along with a growing concern about random beheadings or larger terror attacks at home inspired by militants abroad.
"Together, we will address the horrendous violence in Syria and Iraq, where conflict and governance failures have provided a breeding ground for extremist groups," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a news conference last week.
With world leaders grappling to stitch together a coalition and plan of action, Ban said he hopes the General Assembly session will help produce an international consensus to act against the al-Qaida breakaway group, which U.S. intelligence officials estimate has up to 31,000 fighters including some 12,000 foreigners.
On the sidelines of the global gathering, President Barack Obama will lead a summit meeting of the Security Council to focus on one aspect of the threat — foreign terrorist fighters.
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