Terror Bill to review control orders

Last updated at 13:19 17 May 2005


The draft Counter Terrorism Bill signalled in the Queen's Speech will give Parliament a second chance to look at the Home Secretary's controversial control orders.

Further measures will "remedy any gaps or deficiencies" in existing legislation, according to the Government.

They would also "consider the scope for new offences which would assist in bringing suspected terrorists before the courts".

Control orders were introduced in March in the Prevention of Terrorism Act to deal with terror suspects who had earlier been detained without charge or trial at London's Belmarsh prison.

Ministers faced a marathon battle to get the Prevention of Terrorism Act through Parliament and promised to introduce a new terror Bill in this new session.

It is likely to create a new offence of "committing acts preparatory to terrorism", designed to make it easier to bring criminal charges against people involved with the fringes of terrorism, if not actually committing terrorist acts themselves.

It is also expected to include a new offence of "glorifying or condoning" acts of terrorism.

Opposition parties which are in favour of allowing intercept evidence - such as phone taps - to be routinely used in court may bring pressure on ministers to include necessary law-changes in this Bill.

So far, however, ministers have ruled out allowing phone tap evidence to be used in court, on the advice of the security services MI5, MI6 and GCHQ.

The new terror Bill may also seek to address concerns about control orders - particularly the fact that lower-scale orders can be imposed on the say-so of the Home Secretary.

Some critics say only a judge should be able to impose the orders.

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