Terrorism Acts (2000-present)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
From 2000 to the present, the British Parliament passed a series of Terrorism Acts that were aimed at terrorism in general, rather than specifically focussed on terrorism related to Northern Ireland. The timings were influenced by the September 11, 2001 attacks and 7 July London bombings, as well as the politics of the Global War on Terror, according to the politicians who announce them as their response to a terrorism act.[citation needed]
Between them, they provided a definition of terrorism that made it possible to establish a new and distinct set of police powers and procedures, beyond those related to ordinary crime, which could be applied in terrorist cases.
- The Terrorism Act 2000
-
- gave a broad definition of terrorism for the first time
- provided for an extended list of proscribed terrorist organizations beyond those associated with Northern Ireland.
- allowed police to detain terrorist suspects for questioning for up to 7 days.
- The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
-
- passed in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks
- contained measures that had been rejected from the 2000 Act.
- allowed Ministry of Defence Police to operate outside of military bases even for non-terrorist cases.[1][2]
- Part 4 enabled foreigners to be detained as terrorist suspects indefinitely.
- required annual renewal of some provisions in recognition of the political climate
- The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (Continuance in force of sections 21 to 23) Order 2003 [5]
-
- renewed Part 4 of the 2001 Act.
- voted on specifically by Parliament due to its controversial nature.[6]
- Judgement by the Law Lords on Part 4 of the 2001 Act[7]
-
- found in favour of a terrorist suspect who had been detained without charge for over two years
- set a time limit for their release
- The Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
-
- established the "control order" which is a form of house arrest
- issue of sunset clause subject to extended Parliamentary dispute lasting over 50 hours
- passed just in time to be applied to the Part 4 terrorist suspects
- The Terrorism Act 2006
-
- drafted in the aftermath of the 7 July 2005 London bombings
- defines the offence of "glorifying" terrorism
- revises the period of detention of terrorist suspect for question up to 28 days
- the government had asked for this to be 90 days, but was defeated in a vote.[8]
- justified by the claim that necessary evidence to decide charges might be encrypted on one of thousands of hard disks, and it could take this long to search them.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ Section 98, Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001.
- ^ Public Whip. Vote on this amendment.
- ^ Section 306, Criminal Justice Act 2003.
- ^ TheyWorkForYou (20 May 2003). Debate on Criminal Justice Bill.
- ^ Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (Continuance in force of sections 21 to 23) Order 2003.
- ^ Public Whip. Vote on this Order.
- ^ Judgement by the Law Lords on Part 4 of the 2001 Act.
- ^ Public Whip. Vote on 90 days amendment.
- ^ TheyWorkForYou (9 November 2005). Debate on Terrorism Bill.
