State actors-nuclear traffickers nexus poses greatest risk: PM

Washington, Apr 1: In a veiled attack on Pakistan, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said state actors working with nuclear traffickers and terrorists present the greatest risk to nuclear security as he called for dropping the notion that "his terrorist is not my terrorist".

Referring to the recent terror attacks in Brussels, Modi said they show how real and immediate is the threat to nuclear security from terrorism as he pointed out that all countries must completely adhere to their international obligations in this regard.

Outlining three contemporary features of terror that the world should focus on, Modi said today's terrorism uses extreme violence as 'theatre'.

"Second, we are no longer looking for a man in a cave, but we are hunting for a terrorist in a city with a computer or a smart phone. "Third, state actors working with nuclear traffickers and terrorists present the greatest risk," he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.

Dwelling at length on the threat posed by terrorism to the world, Modi noted that terror has evolved and that terrorists are using 21st century technology, "but our responses are rooted in the past".

The reach and supply chains of terrorism are global, but genuine cooperation between nation states is not, Modi said in his intervention during a White House dinner hosted by US President Barack Obama that formally kicked off the two-day Nuclear Security Summit here. "Drop the notion that terrorism is someone else's problem and that 'his' terrorist is not 'my' terrorist.

"Terrorism is globally networked. But, we still act only nationally to counter this threat," he told the international community. Modi was seated next to Obama during the White House dinner which was attended by heads of States of more than 20 countries in the US capital for the fourth edition of the Nuclear Security Summit.

"Nuclear security must remain an abiding national priority. All States must completely abide by their international obligations," Modi said.

Praising the US President for his initiative on nuclear security, Modi said Obama's legacy must endure. "By putting spotlight on nuclear security, Obama has done great service to global security," he said.

PTI