Legislation
Terrorism Act 2000
The Terrorism Act is the primary piece of UK counter terrorism legislation and it has proved a vital tool in the fight against terrorism.
The Act was passed on 20 July 2000, it came into force on 19 February 2001 in response to the changing threat from international terrorism, and replaced the previous temporary anti terrorism legislation that dealt primarly with Northern Ireland.
Creating new criminal offences
The Act creates new criminal offences including:
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inciting terrorist acts
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providing instrcution or training in the use of firearms, explosives or chemical, biological or nuclear weapons
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seeking or providing training for terrorist purposes at home or overseas
Enhancing police powers
The Act gives the police enhanced powers to investigate terrorism, including wider stop and search powers, and the powers to detain suspects after arrest for up to 28 days - any period longer than two days must be approved by a magistrate. The period was extended to 28 days under the Terrorism Act 2006.
Proscribing terrorist groups
The Act outlaws certain terrorist groups and makes it illegal for them to operate in the UK (a process known as proscription), and specifically extends this proscription regime to include international terrorist groups like Al Qaida. This is a tangible demonstration that we are serious in our fight against international terrorism and an effective deterrent against would be terrorists.
Providing additional powers to Northern Ireland
The Act provides additional powers applicable to Northern Ireland only, which must be renewed every year.
The full text of the Terrorism Act (new window) is avaliable on the website of the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI).
