High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article.
David Cameron has announced greater powers to tackle British jihadis, including the cancellation of their passports and “temporary” exclusion orders that could last more than two years.
The prime minister’s team insists the move is “in line with international law”, but it could leave British citizens fighting in Iraq or Syria – or trying to return through transit countries such as Turkey or Germany – in a state of limbo.
High quality global journalism requires investment. Please share this article with others using the link below, do not cut & paste the article.
Mr Cameron argued in a speech to the Australian parliament that Britain needed to tighten its anti-terror laws, including allowing the removal of passports from teenage jihadis.
The package of measures to be unveiled in Canberra will be pored over by civil liberties groups but it has been approved by both Tories and Liberal Democrats in the coalition and is expected to become law in Britain in January.
Mr Cameron promised “new powers for police at ports to seize passports, to stop suspects travelling and to stop British nationals returning to the UK unless they do so on our terms”.
He also said that the counter-terrorism bill would include “new rules to prevent airlines that don’t comply with our no-fly lists or security screening measures from landing in the UK”.
About 500 Britons are thought to have travelled to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as Isis, and up to 250 may have returned. The jihadist threat in the region will be discussed by world leaders at the G20 summit in Brisbane on Saturday.
The most controversial measure planned by Mr Cameron is a temporary exclusion order to stop people returning from the region if the home secretary has “reasonable suspicion of involvement in terrorist activity”.
It would lead to the cancellation of an individual’s passport and put the inclusion of their details on a “no-fly” list. If the person insisted on returning to the UK, they could only do so under escort by the authorities and would be subject to bail-like conditions.
A temporary exclusion order would be valid for up to two years with the possibility of another exclusion order being imposed at the end of that period. Downing Street insists British jihadis would not be made “stateless” – which is illegal under international law – because they could still return under strict supervision.
However, it could leave British jihadis in a third country with no travel documents for an extended period, in effect making the potential terrorist a problem for another national government.
Meanwhile, the bill would give police and border officers stronger powers to stop potential jihadis from travelling abroad at airports and ports in Britain.
Passports could be seized for up to 30 days with a magistrate’s review after 14 days and the power would be extended to cover under-18s for the first time, reflecting concerns that teenagers are travelling from Britain to fight.
Separately, airlines will be required to use interactive electronic data systems if they want to fly to Britain, giving security agencies the power to screen any passenger or to require their removal from a flight.
Measures to tighten monitoring and control of potential terrorists in the UK may also feature in the bill but are the subject of continuing discussions between the Tories and the Lib Dems.
No comments :
Post a Comment