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Home Secretary To Ban Terror Groups

17 July 2006

Four new organisations who are concerned in terrorism are set to be banned, Home Secretary John Reid announced today.

The Home Secretary today laid a draft Order in Parliament proposing the proscription of two UK-based and two international groups.  The two UK-based organisations are being proscribed under new glorification criteria introduced in the Terrorism Act 2006.  

A further draft Order, also laid today, will add two alternative names for the Kurdish terrorist group PKK which is already proscribed.

Mr Reid said:

 “Proscribing these groups - which are either engaged in terrorism or  which glorify terrorist acts - sends a strong signal that the United  Kingdom is not prepared to tolerate those who support terrorism here  or anywhere in the world.

 “I am determined to act against those who, while not directly involved  in committing acts of terrorism, provide support for and make  statements that glorify, celebrate and exalt the atrocities of terrorist  groups.  I am also committed to ensuring that those organisations that  change their name do not avoid the consequences of proscription.

 “Protecting the public and strengthening national security is my top  priority.  Proscription powers are an important tool in our armoury in  the fight against terrorism.  The new, widened, criteria introduced in the  Terrorism Act 2006 allows us to create an even more hostile  environment in which terrorists find it more difficult to operate, and will  assist us in tackling every part of the terrorist network.”

The alternative names for PKK are being listed under new legislation introduced through the 2006 Act which allows the Home Secretary to list names that are used as aliases by proscribed organisations.

The draft proscription Order is subject to approval by both Houses of Parliament and will be debated by MPs and Peers in the next week.  The draft Order proposing alternative names will come into force on 14 August.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Under Part II of the Terrorism Act 2000, the Secretary of State has the power to proscribe any organisation which he believes ‘is concerned in terrorism’.  An organisation is ‘concerned in terrorism’ if it commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism, promotes or encourages terrorism, or is otherwise concerned in terrorism either in the UK or abroad.  The Terrorism Act 2006 amended the grounds for proscription to include organisations which glorify terrorism and provided new powers in respect of those groups which have changed their name but are identified as being the same organisation as one of those already proscribed.  ‘Organisation’ is defined as including ‘any association or combination of persons’.  Once the statutory criteria are satisfied, the Secretary of State then has discretion whether or not to proscribe a particular organisation.
2.  In reaching his decisions, the Home Secretary also took into account a number of factors including:
                      • The nature and scale of an organisation’s activities
                      • The specific threat that it poses to the UK
                      • The specific threat that it poses to British nationals overseas
                      • The extent of the organisation’s presence in the UK
                      • The need to support other members of the international community in the global fight against terrorism
3. Proscription means that an organisation is outlawed in the UK as soon as the order comes into force.  It is a criminal offence for a person to belong to or encourage support for a proscribed organisation. It is also a criminal offence to arrange a meeting in support of a proscribed organisation or to wear clothing or to carry articles in public which arouse reasonable suspicion that a person is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation. 
4. There have been three previous proscription orders laid since introduction of the Terrorism Act 2000. 
   
5. The first draft order to proscribe 21 international organisations under the Terrorism Act 2000 was laid before Parliament on 28 February 2001 (Home Office press notice 058/2001). The order came into force on 29 March 2001 (SI 2001 no 1261).  This was followed by a further draft order in October 2002 that sought the proscription of four groups (Home Office press notice 283/2002).  That order came into force on 1 November 2002 (SI 2002 no 2724). The last order proscribing 15 international groups was laid before Parliament on 10 October 2005 and came into force on 14 October 2005 (Home Office press notice 147/2005) (SI 2005 no 2892). 
   
6. Fourteen organisations in Northern Ireland are proscribed under previous legislation.
7. Proscribed organisations can at any time make an application to the Secretary of State for de-proscription.  Should an application be unsuccessful, the organisation or any person affected by their proscription can then appeal to the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), set up under section 5 and schedule 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
8.  Further information on proscribed groups and the existing list can be found at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/terrorism-and-the-law/terrorism-act/proscribed-groups
9. Copies of the draft Orders laid today are attached.

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