| Author (Person) | Cronin, David |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.11, No.30, 1.9.05 |
| Publication Date | 01/09/2005 |
| Content Type | News |
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By David Cronin Date: 01/09/05 Provoking terrorism or expressing support for terrorism, either spoken or written, would become criminal offences throughout the EU, under a strategy being drafted by officials of the European Commission and the Council of Ministers. Officials from the two institutions are discussing how to put into EU law a ban on behaviour that "causes a danger" of terrorist offences. A meeting of EU ambassadors on 14 September will be devoted to preparing a strategy on the "radicalisation and recruitment of terrorists". The UK government is aiming to get the strategy agreed by justice and interior ministers in December. Discussion on the strategy began at working group level in the Council before the summer break. The Commission will present on 21 September its own paper, which aims "to identify and address the factors which might contribute to 'violent radicalisation' and which might make people susceptible to being recruited by terrorist groups". Officials are looking at how clauses in the convention on preventing terrorism from the 46-country Council of Europe could be put on the statute books of the EU member states. The convention, which was finalised in May, obliges its signatories to adopt laws against so-called public provocation "where such conduct, whether or not directly advocating terrorist offences, causes a danger that one or more such offences may be committed". Although 12 EU countries have signed the convention, none has yet ratified it. An EU official said: "It would be very strange for the EU to diverge from what the Council of Europe has already agreed. What we can do is further to what the Council of Europe has agreed, we would not go against it." The convention has been criticised by human rights activists. Amnesty International has argued that the Council of Europe's definition of provocation is too broad and that it could be used as a pretext to crack down on peaceful expressions of opinion. Civil liberties groups have warned that those who say they understand the motivations of Palestinian suicide bombers could be prosecuted, even if they do not actually condone such violence. Tony Bunyan from Statewatch said that he was perturbed by how EU policymakers were referring to the need to tackle radical Islam in nebulous terms. "Is radical Islam opposing the invasion of Iraq?" he asked. Charles Clarke, the UK home secretary, last week ordered a review of his powers to exclude and deport non-UK citizens accused of glorifying terrorism or fomenting inter-communal strife. The UK Conservative MEP Charles Tannock said that introducing similar measures in other European countries would be "an excellent idea". Officials are also looking at what action could be taken against websites deemed to support terrorists or designed to lure new recruits into violent organisations. Outside the EU's borders, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have been identified by diplomats as the two countries on which the Union should concentrate its efforts to combat radicalisation. One of the four bombers behind the 7 July attacks in London is reported to have visited a madrasa or religious school near Lahore. Pakistan is said to have some 25,000 unregistered madrasas, many run by violent extremists. A diplomat from Pakistan's embassy to Belgium said: "We have had some problems with madrasas and some have been banned. The government has ordered that all madrasas should be registered." President Pervez Musharraf, he added, had pointed out that the UK should "look inward" to find the causes of the London attacks, as the bombers were reared in Britain. Article reports that provoking terrorism or expressing support for terrorism, either spoken or written, would become criminal offences throughout the EU, under a strategy being drafted by officials of the European Commission and the Council of Ministers. Officials were looking at how clauses in the Convention on Preventing Terrorism from the 46-country Council of Europe could be integrated into national law of EU Member States. |
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| Source Link | http://www.european-voice.com/ |
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| Subject Categories | Politics and International Relations, Security and Defence |
| Countries / Regions | Europe |
