TERRORISM LEGISLATION

Between 11th September 2001 and 2nd April 2004, 548 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000. Only 98 were eventually charged with offences under the act. Some were released without charge and some were arrested on separate non-terrorist charges. The majority of the terror charges relate to two specific elements of the act.

59 were arrested for “possessing an article in circumstances which give rise to a reasonable suspicion that his possession is for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.” A further 12 were arrested for “collecting or making a record of information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. Or for possessing a document or record containing information of that kind” Basically most of the people arrested under the terrorism act are arrested on quite shaky grounds… of ‘reasonable suspicion’, rather than ‘beyond reasonable doubt’. Some of those arrested could have been plane-spotters like the ones arrested in Greece a few years ago.

As of April 2004, these arrests have led to a total of six convictions.

In the early 1990s, there was an average of about six people a year "excluded" from the country. But under the current Anti-Terrorism Crime and Security Act, foreign nationals who cannot be deported can be detained indefinitely without charges being brought against them. At present there are 13 people held under these regulations, eight of whom have been detained without charge since December 2001. The most recent detention under these powers was in October 2003. This is a clear violation of human rights of almost Guantanamo like proportions.

KILROYGATE

The majority (if not all) of those arrested have been Muslims.

"There is clear evidence of disquiet in the Muslim community and a belief that they're being disproportionately targeted," says Barry Hugill from Liberty.

Sadiq Khan from Liberty called the use of anti-terror legislation a “handbook on how to alienate Muslim communities.” He asks; has the “Anti-terrorism” legislation led to a safer Britain? Based on the low number of people charged and the tiny number of people convicted the answer must be no. They have, undoubtedly, led to a further erosion of civil liberties and more fear and distrust of the authorities by Muslim communities. This fear and mistrust is a sad repetition of the oppression of Irish communities during the years of the Prevention of Terrorism Acts, and by the black communities during the operation of the ‘sus’ Laws.

Lawyers and groups representing the Islamic community have been receiving more and more complaints from people who have never been in trouble with the police before, but who report being stopped in the street or in their cars, or having their homes searched. Some have been pulled over for questioning at airports or ferry terminals, and all say they have been picked on for no apparent reason other than that they are Muslim.

Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, said police activity directed against Muslims had risen sharply since September 11 2001. He pointed to Home Office figures which showed that in 2002-03 there were 32,100 searches overall under the Terrorism Act, 30,000 more than in 1999-2000. He claimed Muslims were the subject of a hugely disproportionate number of these.

Muslims from have come to view being stopped by the police as part of normal life. No real reasons are given, though anti-terrorist legislation is frequently cited. Often it is for wearing traditional clothes or if they have Muslim-style beards.

Leroy Logan of the Black Police Officers Association said: "What we are hearing gives us a worrying sense that section 44 [of the anti-terrorist legislation] is being used by police disproportionately."

The twisted anti terror strategy of 'disruption' is designed to unsettle terror cells working within immigrant communities in Britain by carrying out sweeps of arrests which are not necessarily designed to lead to charges. It’s a self fulfilling prophesy where you pick on Muslims until they get really pissed off and react aggressively, and then you can claim you were right all along.

Well, simultaneously, racist vigilante thugs have got the message from their superiors in government, and the number of race hate crimes received by prosecutors from the police jumped 12% to nearly 4,200 in 2003-2004, according to figures from the Crown Prosecution Service. 18 cases of religiously aggravated crimes were also prosecuted in England and Wales. Surprisingly enough, Islam was the "actual or perceived" religion of the victim in 10 out of the 18 cases.


Home office stats

Too many arrests too few charges

terrorism act statistics from statewatch

How to alienate Muslim communities, by the chairman of Liberty

UK criminal justice site

Rise in race hate against Muslims

Muslims – new victims of stop and search