Muscat: Oman has scored zero in the global terrorism index, which reflects well on its safety and security against terrorist threats, according to the Global Terrorism Index 2015 released recently by the Economics and Peace Institute.

It is followed by Qatar and Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.

Observers believe Oman strictly regulates anything related to extremism and sectarian intolerance.

In 2008, Oman introduced a law stipulating that anyone involved in crimes related to terrorism and sectarianism would be jailed for a minimum of 10 years. It has signed the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism in 2011.

Oman also established the anti-money laundering Combating the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) system in 2002, as per a royal decree.

Zakariah Al Mahrami, an Omani researcher and writer, told Gulf News that the country has been able to avoid any acts of terrorism by promoting tolerance.

“Omanis have been closely watching what has been going on in their region, which is in flames, and have been focusing in nation-building, away from destruction and conflicts,” said Al Mahrami.

Iraq topped the list as the country most vulnerable to terrorism.

The report said that Britain was most vulnerable in Europe; it was placed 28th overall. It was followed by Greece, 29, Germany 35, France, 36 and Ireland, 48. The US also ranked 35.

The report noted that 32,700 people lost their lives in 2014 in terrorist-related incidents, compared to 18,100 in 2013, an increase of 80 per cent.

Meanwhile, no Omani has joined Daesh, according to a monitoring group.

This came after a report entitled ‘Who Inspires the Syrian Foreign Fighters’ was released by the UK-based International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence. It said that most Daesh fighters are from Arab countries, adding that more than 21,000 people had travelled to Syria and Iraq to join Daesh.

An Omani government official confirmed that no Omani national has joined Daesh so far, attributing it to the Omani government’s efforts at combatting extremism as well as the awareness of the nationals.

 

Saudi nationals top the list with an estimated 3,000 Saudi fighters in Daesh, followed by Kuwait, estimated at 70, Qatar 15 and Bahrain 12.