The UK legislation about terrorism

Prior to July 2000 terrrorism legislation in the United Kingdom was a bit of a pig's breakfast.

Some time earlier, the Blair Government introduced the Terrorism Bill to the UK Parliament.

Some of the thinking behind the introduction of the Terrorism Bill is contained in House of Commons Research Paper 99/101.

One very clearly stated aim of the Terrorism Bill in the research paper was "to extend [UK counter-terrorism legislation] so that rather than being restricted to terrorism connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland and international terrorism it will cover all terrorism, including domestic terrorism. It also sets out a new definition of terrorism for the purposes of the exercise of the powers it contains."

Given that the Terrorism Bill contains a new definition of terrorism intended "to cover all terrorism" it could be readily expected that activities perhaps not labelled as "terrorism" previously then become "terrorism".

The definition of "terrorism" contained at Second Reading of the Terrorism Bill was changed later during parliamentary consideration of the Bill. (You have to scroll down a little to read the Hansard report on the Terrorism Bill.)

The definition of "terrorism" which applies in UK law today (and has done since July 2000) is found in Section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Here are links to various pieces of UK legislation about terrorism:

1. Reinsurance (Acts of Terrorism) Act 1993
2. Terrorism Act 2000
3. Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005
4. Terrorism Act 2006
   

I'll discuss issues and questions arising from various implications of that legislation in future posts.