10 Security Council and terrorism There is special significance in the requirements of Resolution 1373¹⁶ of the Security Council which established the Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC).  Following the terrorist attacks on the United States on 11 September  2001, the Security Council adopted resolution 1373 which declares international terrorism a threat to “international peace and security”.  The Security Council took this action under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, and resolution 1373 therefore imposes binding obligations on all member States of the United Nations.  The involvement of the Security Council in the counterterrorism effort of the UN is a new development.  Hitherto international terrorism was largely in the hands of the General Assembly through the work of its Sixth (Legal) Committee.   Since 2000 the Sixth Committee had been trying to develop a comprehensive convention on international terrorism. Resolution 1373 does not attempt to define terrorism.  But it requires all States to take steps  to  combat  terrorism  and  to  become  a  party  to  the  twelve  international  terrorism conventions and protocols as soon as possible.  In doing so it creates uniform obligations for  all  191  member  States  of  the  United  Nations,  thus  going  beyond  the  existing international conventions and protocols binding only those States that are parties to them.   This is an unprecedented step for the Security Council.         While Resolution 1373 is directed at terrorist financing, it also requires or urges other steps by States against terrorists, their organisations and supporters.  States are urged, for example, to update laws and to bring terrorists to justice, improve border security and control traffic in arms, cooperate and exchange information with other States concerning terrorists and provide judicial assistance to other States in criminal proceeding.  The work programme of the CTC is in three stages: first, to ensure legislation in member States are in place covering all aspects of the resolution, and there is a process for adhering to the twelve international terrorism conventions and protocols; second, a focus on the executive machinery to mount and coordinate counterterrorism activity, and cooperation on bilateral, regional and international levels; and third, focus on the implementation of the legislation and executive machinery to bring terrorists and their supporters to justice.   Extensive consultations had been carried out by the CTC or on its behalf with UN and other international organisations and with regional and sub-regional organisations, including those of the Pacific, to ensure their assistance and cooperation.   Resolution 1373 requires that all States shall criminalise the willful financing of terrorist acts and ensure that terrorist acts are established as serious criminal offences in their own domestic  law.    Steps  taken  by  each  member  State  to  implement  Resolution  1373  are required to be reported to the CTC.  The report, in a stipulated format, is assessed and commented  on  by  the  CTC,  often  with  requests  by  the  Committee  for  more  specific information or further action.    As  of  April  2003,  the  CTC  had  received  reports  covering  the  first  phase  from  all  191 member  States,  except  three  (two  small  African  States,  and  one  small  Pacific  island State).  The reports are varied in both quality and length, largely reflecting the different                                                 16 Security Council Res. 1373, 28 September 2001.