The United Nations Security Council on Friday extended sanctions against Al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden, the Taliban and their associates for a further 17 months.

In a resolution unanimously adopted, the 15-nation council stressed the importance of meeting the continuing threat to international peace and security posed by Al-Qaida, the Taliban and their associates.

The council called on all states to maintain the sanctions measures imposed in 1999 on those groups and individuals, including a freeze of assets, a ban on travel and a weapons embargo.

It reiterated the need for close cooperation and exchange of information among the three council committees, which are in charge of overseeing sanctions against Al-Qaida, the global fight against terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

The new resolution, co-sponsored by the United States, Denmark, France, Greece, Japan and Russia, spelled out for the first time those "associated with" al-Qaida and the Taliban.

It stated that people who participate in financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating acts to support the outlawed groups and who recruit, supply, sell or transfer weapons to bin Laden, al-Qaida, the Taliban "or any cell, affiliate, splinter group or derivative thereof" will now face sanctions.

"What the council is looking at is to pursue any act of terrorism from wherever they are coming," said Greek Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, the council president for July.

Source: Xinhua