BRITAIN:New legislation The British government last night flagged proposals for three new laws, as part of the anti-terrorist crackdown prime minister Tony Blair will discuss with police and security chiefs next week.
In a letter to opposition parties home secretary Charles Clarke outlined plans for new criminal offences covering people engaged in acts preparatory to terrorism; those providing or receiving terrorist training; and public and private statements by persons "glorifying" terrorist actions.
Home office minister Hazel Blears confirmed the government would implement the Labour manifesto commitment in respect of acts preparatory to terrorism, after it won the backing yesterday of Metropolitan Police commissioner Sir Ian Blair.
However, Mr Clarke and Ms Blears cast their net significantly wider with a proposal creating a new offence for "providing or receiving training in the use of hazardous substances". This was intended to cover a range of other terrorist techniques, Ms Blears told journalists, and the aim was to allow suspects to be prosecuted before they had the opportunity to commit atrocities.
The offence of providing training would apply to those who had undertaken such activities whether in Britain or abroad. This would include people attending terrorist training camps overseas and possibly, for example, persons acquiring information on how to build a bomb through the internet.
However, it appears it is not intended to make the new law retrospective, which means it could not be used against some 3,000 British-born or British-based people estimated by former police commissioner Lord Stevens to have passed through Osama bin Laden training camps.
But in a sign of mounting political anxiety, a group of Labour MPs yesterday demanded that the government take "swift action" to "prevent such people being able to return to the UK and continue to go about their business as free agents in our society".
Meanwhile, some experts were privately doubtful about the third part of last night's proposed package, to make it an offence to indirectly incite terrorism by way of statements appearing to glorify or applaud terrorist acts. While the onus would be on prosecutors to prove "intent", Ms Blears admitted it was difficult to give an example. "It's very difficult to give examples of this. It would depend on what words were used. Were they an endorsement, were they a glorification?"
She said it would apply "where people would seek to glorify terrorist activity, perhaps, for example, saying 'It's a marvellous thing that this has happened. These people are martyrs'."
Whether the parliamentary draftspeople find difficulty in framing this particular offence, it is clear that these latest proposals form part of a fresh determination by the government to create a more hostile environment for those who would have inspired, recruited and directed London's suicide bombers.
With 10 Downing Street clearly in the driving seat, the Home Office has already outlined proposals to deny entry to Islamic extremists barred by the United States or other EU countries.
The government is already facing criticism for failing to prevent Prof Tariq Ramadan, who is barred from entering the US, attending a conference in London this week.
The Home Office is also renewing efforts to reach agreements with north African countries regarding the deportation of terror suspects. Human rights law prevents Britain deporting anyone to a country where they might be subject to inhuman or degrading treatment or the death penalty.
With Mr Clarke also examining ways to tighten controls on asylum-seekers and those granted "indefinite leave to remain", the Liberal Democrats said they would join the Conservatives in pressing for tighter border controls in next week's cross-party talks.
While parliament rises next week for the summer recess, the prime minister has signalled that MPs could be recalled if security chiefs decide they need significant new powers in place before the autumn.