Terrorism Bill — Consent to prosecution for terrorism in other countries — 25 Jan 2006 at 15:50

Section 17 makes it possible to prosecute suspects who are not British citizens for terrorist acts abroad which have nothing to do with the UK. When the Attorney General decides to allow (or not to allow) a prosecution, this law (which was rejected) would have told him to consider:

(a) any reasonable grounds for believing that the government of the country has committed or encouraged in its territory genocide or crimes against humanity or grave breaches of human rights;

(b) the extent to which that government is accountable to its citizens through free and fair elections; and

(c) the nature of the acts of terrorism which the persons against whom proceedings are contemplated, or any terrorist organisation of which he is believed to be a member or with which he is believed to be associated, has aided, committed or encouraged.

In other words, a person who commits an act of terrorism in a non-democratic country in control of a tyrant where genocide is taking place would not need to be prosecuted in the UK.

Debate in Parliament | Source |