UK outlines new anti-terrorism measures

UK-based insurance companies are to be forbidden from reimbursing ransom payments made to terrorist organisations, the British home secretary has announced.

The UK government says that although current laws ban terrorist financing, a loophole in the legislation leaves a degree of "uncertainty" as to whether insurers were allowed to pay claims made by families or companies who had met ransom demands.

The UN estimates that the so-called Islamic State group (IS, formerly known as ISIS) has received $44 million in ransom payments in the past 12 months alone. 

The proposals are part of number of measures being laid out as part of a draft Counter-Terrorism and Security law and come on the eve of the publication of the findings of the official inquiry into the murder of British soldier Lee Rigby.  

Rigby was stabbed to death by Islamist extremists on a street in London last year. 

'Time is right'

When outlining the new laws, May said the "time is right" for police, security and intelligence agencies to be given more powers to defend the UK and that she hoped the legislation would be fast-tracked through parliament.

The UK government has maintained a policy of not paying ransoms on the premise that it encourages hostage-taking and funds terrorist activity.

Efforts to forge international unity on non-payment have been largely unsuccessful, with many governments paying large sums for the release of their nationals held hostage.

In September, Prime Minister David Cameron said fellow leaders of the G7 group of nations had agreed the previous year to not pay ransoms - but some were not sticking to the agreement.

In light of the expanding conflict in the Middle East and the reportedly large numbers of UK citizens travelling to fight alongside IS, the authorities have increased the emphasis on security. The national terror threat was raised in August to "severe", meaning an attack is "likely". 

Internet users

If the legislation is enacted, it would force telecommunications firms to hand over data on the identity of specific computer or mobile phone users to police. 

It's sensible, but the home secretary... [is] going to have real trouble. - David Davis, Conservative MP

Individual devices online may often be identified by their IP addresses, although some gadgets are assigned a new identifying address each time they go online - and the same addresses may be used by different devices at different times.

This makes it very hard for the police and security services to prove something has happened online, such as the promotion of "terrorist activities", and to link it with a particular individual. 

The changes in this system would "improve national security", said May - but concerns have been raised that it is a step towards the revival of the notorious "snoopers' charter" - a previous attempt to bring in wide-ranging web-monitoring powers.

The Communications Data Bill would have forced companies to keep data about people's online conversations, social media activity, calls and texts for 12 months. 

Civil liberties 

The Liberal Democrats, who are in a coalition government with May's Conservative party, have welcomed the latest proposals, but have also warned against efforts to use new legislation as a way to revive the much more intrusive and wide-ranging measures dismissed in the Communications Data Bill. 

Even members from the governing Conservative party have warned about this new bill being used as a stepping stone to the provisions the government failed to get past parliament first time around. 

"This technical change is okay," David Davis, a senior Conservative MP told the BBC. "It's sensible, but the home secretary has said, in effect, that she sees it as a route back into the whole snooper's charter and, frankly, I think she's going to have real trouble." 

The proposed Counter-Terrorism and Security Bill also includes controversial plans to ban from the UK, for up to two years, British citizens identified as "terror suspects" while also increasing police powers to seize suspected militants leaving the UK.  

Yet again politicians resort to high talk and rushed legislation in an attempt to look tough in the face of terrorism. - Shami Chakrabarti, Liberty

The Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (TPIMs) now used to monitor suspects in Britain would be bolstered by the new laws with powers for the authorities to order a suspect to live elsewhere in the country. 

Existing legislation and the proposed law have faced criticism from fellow MPs, lawyers and human rights activists for unnecessarily infringing on the civil rights of UK citizens and marginalising large sections of the Muslim community. 

To try and allay these fears, the new bill includes a narrower definition of "terrorism" in an effort to ensure that the new powers do not target innocent people. A higher threshold of proof will also be required to be established before some of the measures, such as TPIMs, will be allowed to be put into place. 

Shami Chakrabarti, director of Liberty, which campaigns on civil liberties issues, described the proposed measures as a "chilling recipe for injustice".  

"Yet again politicians resort to high talk and rushed legislation in an attempt to look tough in the face of terrorism," she said.

"So youngsters will have their passports seized at borders and others will be prevented coming home. Even our universities must read from ministers' scripts on radicalisation. Another chilling recipe for injustice and resentment by closing down the open society you seek to promote."

The government's announcement coincides with a week-long police initiative, involving more than 3,000 officers, to remind the public how they can help fight terrorism. More than 6,000 people in schools, universities, airports, shopping centres, cinemas and even farms will be briefed by security officials.   

"The danger posed by violent extremists has evolved," said Mark Rowley, Britain's chief counter-terror police officer.

"They are no longer a problem solely stemming from countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, far away in the minds of the public. Now, they are homegrown, in our communities."

The Muslim Association of Britain says it welcomes any awareness-raising intiatives but say community leaders are wary of the potential to inadvertantly demonise individuals or communities.

"The rhetoric all too often equates observient Muslims with radical Islam," Khalil Charles, spokesman for the organisation, told al-Araby al-Jadeed. 

"Conservatism doesn't equate to extremism and it is incredibly important that they get that message across."