Legalize / United Kingdom / Public General Act

Terrorism Act 2000

Type Public General Act

Publication 2000-07-20

State In force

Department Statute Law Database

Source legislation.gov.uk

Reform history JSON API

Part I — Introductory

Terrorism: interpretation

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(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 an international governmental organisation or to intimidate the public or a section of the public, and

(2) Action falls within this subsection if it—

(a) involves serious violence against a person,

(b) involves serious damage to property,

(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.

(4) In this section—

(a) “action” includes action outside the United Kingdom,

(b) a reference to any person or to property is a reference to any person, or to property, wherever situated,

(d) “the government” means the government of the United Kingdom, of a Part of the United Kingdom or of a country other than the United Kingdom.

(5) In this Act a reference to action taken for the purposes of terrorism includes a reference to action taken for the benefit of a proscribed organisation.

Sections 63B to 63D: supplementary

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(1) The following shall cease to have effect—

(a) the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989, and

(b) the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996.

(2) Schedule 1 (which preserves certain provisions of the 1996 Act, in some cases with amendment, for a transitional period) shall have effect.

Part II — Proscribed Organisations

Procedure

Orders and regulations.

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(1) For the purposes of this Act an organisation is proscribed if—

(a) it is listed in Schedule 2, or

(b) it operates under the same name as an organisation listed in that Schedule.

(2) Subsection (1)(b) shall not apply in relation to an organisation listed in Schedule 2 if its entry is the subject of a note in that Schedule.

(3) The Secretary of State may by order—

(a) add an organisation to Schedule 2;

(b) remove an organisation from that Schedule;

(4) The Secretary of State may exercise his power under subsection (3)(a) in respect of an organisation only if he believes that it is concerned in terrorism.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4) an organisation is concerned in terrorism if it—

(a) commits or participates in acts of terrorism,

(b) prepares for terrorism,

(d) is otherwise concerned in terrorism.

(5A) The cases in which an organisation promotes or encourages terrorism for the purposes of subsection (5)(c) include any case in which activities of the organisation—

(a) include the unlawful glorification of the commission or preparation (whether in the past, in the future or generally) of acts of terrorism; or

(b) are carried out in a manner that ensures that the organisation is associated with statements containing any such glorification.

(5B) The glorification of any conduct is unlawful for the purposes of subsection (5A) if there are persons who may become aware of it who could reasonably be expected to infer that what is being glorified, is being glorified as—

(a) conduct that should be emulated in existing circumstances, or

(b) conduct that is illustrative of a type of conduct that should be so emulated.

(5C) In this section—

“ glorification ” includes any form of praise or celebration, and cognate expressions are to be construed accordingly;

“ statement ” includes a communication without words consisting of sounds or images or both.

(6) Where the Secretary of State believes—

(a) that an organisation listed in Schedule 2 is operating wholly or partly under a name that is not specified in that Schedule (whether as well as or instead of under the specified name), or

(b) that an organisation that is operating under a name that is not so specified is otherwise for all practical purposes the same as an organisation so listed,

he may, by order, provide that the name that is not specified in that Schedule is to be treated as another name for the listed organisation.

(7) Where an order under subsection (6) provides for a name to be treated as another name for an organisation, this Act shall have effect in relation to acts occurring while—

(a) the order is in force, and

(b) the organisation continues to be listed in Schedule 2,

as if the organisation were listed in that Schedule under the other name, as well as under the name specified in the Schedule.

(8) The Secretary of State may at any time by order revoke an order under subsection (6) or otherwise provide for a name specified in such an order to cease to be treated as a name for a particular organisation.

(9) Nothing in subsections (6) to (8) prevents any liability from being established in any proceedings by proof that an organisation is the same as an organisation listed in Schedule 2, even though it is or was operating under a name specified neither in Schedule 2 nor in an order under subsection (6).

Deproscription: application

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(1) An application may be made to the Secretary of State for an order under section 3(3) or (8)—

(a) removing an organisation from Schedule 2, or

(b) providing for a name to cease to be treated as a name for an organisation listed in that Schedule.

(2) An application may be made by—

(a) the organisation, or

(b) any person affected by the organisation’s proscription or by the treatment of the name as a name for the organisation. .

(3) The Secretary of State shall make regulations prescribing the procedure for applications under this section.

(4) The regulations shall, in particular—

(a) require the Secretary of State to determine an application within a specified period of time, and

(b) require an application to state the grounds on which it is made.

Deproscription: appeal

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(1) There shall be a commission, to be known as the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission.

(2) Where an application under section 4 has been refused, the applicant may appeal to the Commission.

(3) The Commission shall allow an appeal against a refusal to deproscribe an organisation or to provide for a name to cease to be treated as a name for an organisation if it considers that the decision to refuse was flawed when considered in the light of the principles applicable on an application for judicial review.

(4) Where the Commission allows an appeal under this section . . . , it may make an order under this subsection.

(5) Where an order is made under subsection (4) in respect of an appeal against a refusal to deproscribe an organisation, the Secretary of State shall as soon as is reasonably practicable—

(a) lay before Parliament, in accordance with section 123(4), the draft of an order under section 3(3)(b) removing the organisation from the list in Schedule 2, or

(b) make an order removing the organisation from the list in Schedule 2 in pursuance of section 123(5).

(5A) Where an order is made under subsection (4) in respect of an appeal against a refusal to provide for a name to cease to be treated as a name for an organisation, the Secretary of State shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable, make an order under section 3(8) providing that the name in question is to cease to be so treated in relation to that organisation.

(6) Schedule 3 (constitution of the Commission and procedure) shall have effect.

Further appeal

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(1) A party to an appeal under section 5 which the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission has determined may bring a further appeal on a question of law to—

(a) the Court of Appeal, if the first appeal was heard in England and Wales,

(b) the Court of Session, if the first appeal was heard in Scotland, or

(2) An appeal under subsection (1) may be brought only with the permission—

(a) of the Commission, or

(b) where the Commission refuses permission, of the court to which the appeal would be brought.

(3) An order under section 5(4) shall not require the Secretary of State to take any action until the final determination or disposal of an appeal under this section (including any appeal to the Supreme Court).

Appeal: effect on conviction, &c

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(1) This section applies where—

(a) an appeal under section 5 has been allowed in respect of an organisation,

(b) an order has been made under section 3(3)(b) in respect of the organisation in accordance with an order of the Commission under section 5(4) (and, if the order was made in reliance on section 123(5), a resolution has been passed by each House of Parliament under section 123(5)(b)),

(c) a person has been convicted of an offence in respect of the organisation under any of sections 11 to 13, 15 to 19 and 56, and

(d) the activity to which the charge referred took place on or after the date of the refusal to deproscribe against which the appeal under section 5 was brought.

(1A) This section also applies where—

(a) an appeal under section 5 has been allowed in respect of a name treated as the name for an organisation,

(b) an order has been made under section 3(8) in respect of the name in accordance with an order of the Commission under section 5(4),

(c) a person has been convicted of an offence in respect of the organisation under any of sections 11 to 13, 15 to 19 and 56, and

(d) the activity to which the charge referred took place on or after the date of the refusal, against which the appeal under section 5 was brought, to provide for a name to cease to be treated as a name for the organisation.

(2) If the person mentioned in subsection (1)(c) or (1A)(c) was convicted on indictment—

(a) he may appeal against the conviction to the Court of Appeal, and

(b) the Court of Appeal shall allow the appeal.

(3) A person may appeal against a conviction by virtue of subsection (2) whether or not he has already appealed against the conviction.

(4) An appeal by virtue of subsection (2)—

(a) must be brought within the period of 28 days beginning with the date on which the order mentioned in subsection (1)(b) or (1A)(b) comes into force, and

(b) shall be treated as an appeal under section 1 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 (but does not require leave).

(5) If the person mentioned in subsection (1)(c) or (1A)(c) was convicted by a magistrates’ court—

(a) he may appeal against the conviction to the Crown Court, and

(b) the Crown Court shall allow the appeal.

(6) A person may appeal against a conviction by virtue of subsection (5)—

(a) whether or not he pleaded guilty,

(b) whether or not he has already appealed against the conviction, and

(c) whether or not he has made an application in respect of the conviction under section 111 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 (case stated).

(7) An appeal by virtue of subsection (5)—

(a) must be brought within the period of 21 days beginning with the date on which the order mentioned in subsection (1)(b) or (1A)(b) comes into force, and

(b) shall be treated as an appeal under section 108(1)(b) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980.

(8) In section 133(5) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (compensation for miscarriage of justice) after paragraph (b) there shall be inserted—

or (c) on an appeal under section 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000

Section 7: Scotland and Northern Ireland

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(1) In the application of section 7 to Scotland—

(a) for every reference to the Court of Appeal or the Crown Court substitute a reference to the High Court of Justiciary,

(b) in subsection (2)(b), at the end insert “ and quash the conviction ”,

(i) in paragraph (a), for “28 days” substitute “ two weeks ”, and

(ii) in paragraph (b), for “section 1 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968” substitute “ section 106 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 ”,

(d) in subsection (5)—

(i) for “by a magistrates’ court” substitute “ in summary proceedings ”, and

(ii) in paragraph (b), at the end insert “ and quash the conviction ”,

(e) in subsection (6), paragraph (c) is omitted, and

(f) in subsection (7)—

(i) in paragraph (a) for “21 days” substitute “ two weeks ”, and

(ii) for paragraph (b) substitute—

(b) shall be by note of appeal, which shall state the ground of appeal, (c) shall not require leave under any provision of Part X of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995, and (d) shall be in accordance with such procedure as the High Court of Justiciary may, by Act of Adjournal, determine.

(2) In the application of section 7 to Northern Ireland—

(a) the reference in subsection (4) to section 1 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 shall be taken as a reference to section 1 of the Criminal Appeal (Northern Ireland) Act 1980,

(b) references in subsection (5) to the Crown Court shall be taken as references to the county court,

(c) the reference in subsection (6) to section 111 of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 shall be taken as a reference to Article 146 of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, and

(d) the reference in subsection (7) to section 108(1)(b) of the Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980 shall be taken as a reference to Article 140(1)(b) of the Magistrates’ Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981.

Human Rights Act 1998

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(1) This section applies where rules (within the meaning of section 7 of the Human Rights Act 1998 (jurisdiction)) provide for proceedings under section 7(1) of that Act to be brought before the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission.

(2) The following provisions of this Act shall apply in relation to proceedings under section 7(1) of that Act as they apply to appeals under section 5 of this Act—

(a) section 5(4) , (5) and (5A) ,

(b) section 6,

(d) paragraphs 4 to 7 of Schedule 3.

(3) The Commission shall decide proceedings in accordance with the principles applicable on an application for judicial review.

(4) In the application of the provisions mentioned in subsection (2)—

(a) a reference to the Commission allowing an appeal shall be taken as a reference to the Commission determining that an action of the Secretary of State is incompatible with a Convention right, and

(b) a reference to the refusal to deproscribe against which an appeal was brought shall be taken as a reference to the action of the Secretary of State which is found to be incompatible with a Convention right, and

(c) a reference to a refusal to provide for a name to cease to be treated as a name for an organisation shall be taken as a reference to the action of the Secretary of State which is found to be incompatible with a Convention right.

Immunity

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(1) The following shall not be admissible as evidence in proceedings for an offence under any of sections 11 to 13, 15 to 19 and 56—

(a) evidence of anything done in relation to an application to the Secretary of State under section 4,

(b) evidence of anything done in relation to proceedings before the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission under section 5 above or section 7(1) of the Human Rights Act 1998,

(c) evidence of anything done in relation to proceedings under section 6 (including that section as applied by section 9(2)), and

(d) any document submitted for the purposes of proceedings mentioned in any of paragraphs (a) to (c).

(2) But subsection (1) does not prevent evidence from being adduced on behalf of the accused.

Offences

Membership

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(1) A person commits an offence if he belongs or professes to belong to a proscribed organisation.

(2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under subsection (1) to prove—

(a) that the organisation was not proscribed on the last (or only) occasion on which he became a member or began to profess to be a member, and

(b) that he has not taken part in the activities of the organisation at any time while it was proscribed.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years, to a fine or to both, or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(4) In subsection (2) “proscribed” means proscribed for the purposes of any of the following—

(a) this Act;

(b) the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996;

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