The task of bringing the masterminds and perpetrators of the terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008 to justice remains unfinished, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.

He made the statement at a special meeting of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai. The meeting is being held at the city’s Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, one of the places that was attacked by terrorists on November 26, 2008.

Jaishankar said that the attack was not just aimed at Mumbai, but also at the international community. “Nationals of specific countries were identified before being murdered,” he said. “As a result, the commitment of each and every member state of the UN to combat terrorism stood publicly challenged.”

The minister said that the security council should “send out the message that the international community will never give up on holding terrorists accountable and delivering justice”.

On November 26, 2008, 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists took a sea route from Pakistan to Mumbai and carried out a dozen coordinated shooting and bombing attacks at various major landmarks across the city. The attacks resulted in the deaths of 166 persons, including 26 foreigners.

India has been continuously pressing Pakistan to punish those involved in the attacks. However, the trial of the accused persons, including Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed, has made little progress so far in Pakistan.

Jaishankar, in a separate address to the counter-terrorism committee, said that terrorism is a serious threat to the international peace and security as well as to humanity.

“In another month, we will be observing the 14th anniversary of these ghastly attacks on Mumbai in November 2008,” the foreign minister said. “While one of the terrorists was captured alive, prosecuted, and convicted by the highest court in India, the key conspirators and planners of the 26/11 attacks continue to remain protected and unpunished.”

Jaishankar said that the Security Council has been unable to proscribe some terrorists due to “political considerations” and said that this undermines the organisation’s collective credibility.

Last week, China had blocked an attempt to designate Talha Saeed, the son of Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed, as a terrorist, according to ANI. India’s home ministry has alleged that Talha Saeed has been involved in executing attacks in India and on Indian interests in Afghanistan.

Jaishankar said on Friday that there was a need to ensure that the Security Council’s sanctions regime functions effectively and transparently. “Objective and evidence based proposals for listing of terrorist groups, especially those that curb their access to financial resources must be seen through,” he said.

The external affairs minister also called for effective and sustained efforts at countering terror financing. “Terrorism’s nexus with transnational organized crime, illicit drugs and arms trafficking is now well established,” he said. “It is important that we recognise these linkages and strengthen multilateral efforts to break them.”

Jaishankar added that in recent years, terrorists have begun to “exploit the anonymity afforded by new and emerging technologies such as virtual currencies” for raising funds. “In this regard, we look forward to the deliberations at the Special Meeting of the Committee tomorrow in New Delhi to provide innovative solutions for the international community to consider,” he said.