Terrorism Act 2000
The
Terrorism Act 2000 is a current
United Kingdom Act of Parliament - "An Act to make provision about terrorism; and to make
temporary provision for Northern Ireland about the prosecution and punishment of certain offences, the preservation of peace and the maintenance of order."
It supersedes and repeals the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996.
Up to early 2004 around 500 people are believed to have been arrested under the Act, seven people have been officially charged.
Definition of terrorism
Terrorism is defined, in the first section of the Act, as follows:
- section 1. -
- (1) In this Act "terrorism" means the use or threat of action where-
- (a) the action falls within subsection (2),
- (b) the use or threat is designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public or a section of the public, and
- (c) the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.
- (2) Action falls within this subsection if it-
- (a) involves serious violence against a person,
- (b) involves serious damage to property,
- (c) endangers a person's life, other than that of the person committing the action,
- (d) creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or a section of the public, or
- (e) is designed seriously to interfere with or seriously to disrupt an electronic system.
Section 1 goes on to give the Act worldwide scope:
- an "action" can be anywhere in the world,
- "the government" is that of any country, not just the UK, and
- "the public" is the public of any country.
Related topics
See also:
- Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
External links