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.

(3) The use or threat of action falling within subsection (2) which involves the use of firearms or explosives is terrorism whether or not subsection (1)(b) is satisfied.

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.

List of proscribed groups

Under the act, the Secretary of State may modify the list of proscribed groups by his order if he believes that an organization is "concerned in terrorism". Such an organization is defined as an organization that "commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares for terrorism, promotes or encourages terrorism, or is otherwise concerned in terrorism."

International groups

The secretary of state's list proscribes a number of international organisations, the majority due to accusations connected with Islamic fundamentalism. The list as of January 2005 is: