Addressing a United Nations preparatory committee on Thursday, which is drawing up rules of procedure and evidence for the proposed court, Indian delegate Prem Singh Chandumajra said, ``Terrorism is the most condemnable form of international crime threatening the integrity and political and social fibre of states and taking lives of innocent civilians.''

``We would like to emphasise that the preparatory commission should, on a priority basis, prepare proposals for a provision on terrorism, including its definition and elements of crime of terrorism,'' Chandumajra said.

He said the commission should submit proposals to the review conference and work for inclusion of acceptable provisions on terrorism in the statute of the proposed court.

``It is ironic that the statute treats offences such as murder as international crime but refuses to treat the first use ofnuclear weapons as international crime even though it would result in the annihilation of a great mass of humanity, Chandumajra said.