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Progress being made against terrorism

UNITED NATIONS, March 20 (UPI) -- The top official from the U.N. Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate says the international community is making strides in fighting terrorism.

Mike Smith, executive director of the CTED, addressed the U.N. Security Council Wednesday and said the criminalization of terrorism in most countries and the greater sharing of information between law enforcement officials has resulted in progress in the fight against terror, the United Nations reported.

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"There has been an almost unprecedented level of international exchange of information and cooperation among relevant agencies across borders, with the purpose of disrupting planned terrorist attacks and enabling the arrest and prosecution of those engaged in terrorism," Smith said in a statement.

Smith said since U.N. Resolution 1373 was adopted after Sept. 11, 2001, defense officials have been working to increase the capacity and expertise of countries counter terrorist threats.

Despite the progress, Smith also said that the threat of terrorism is still real. He cited the December 2007 attack in Algiers, Algeria, which resulted in the death of 17 U.N. staff, as a reminder of the enemy the world collectively faces.

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