UK to crack down on hate-speech

2005-08-24 17:01

London - Britain unveiled a new plan on Wednesday to help deport or bar Islamic radicals who promote terrorism in the wake of last month's London bombings and said it would implement it within days.

Home secretary Charles Clarke said the list outlining so-called "unacceptable behaviour" would counter the "real and significant" threat of terrorism.

The banned views could be aired by writing, producing or distributing material, public speaking or on the internet.

They also could be delivered by someone in a position of responsibility such as a teacher or a community leader.

Clarke said a database of people worldwide whom Britain believed had behaved unacceptably would be developed and made available to immigration officers.

The minister said: "These powers are not intended to stifle free speech or legitimate debate about religions or other issues."

Hardline Islamists in spotlight

But, Muslim groups and human-rights experts criticised the move as too vague and said it might affect legitimate struggles against human-rights abuses.

They also were worried about a plan by the British government to deport hardline Islamists to countries where they might face torture or even execution.

Asked how soon the plan would take effect, Clarke said: "Very quickly. The next few days."

He said the authorities were already considering a number of names of people engaged in such unacceptable activities.

Clarke said: "All our foreign posts throughout the world are looking at their particular country ... and, of course, we have got the names that are widely in the public domain at the moment."

He said he had an obligation "to stop people coming into this country to get young people, in particular, to behave in the appalling way we saw in July".

The list was part of a wide-ranging government crackdown on Islamic extremist and other groups in the wake of the July 7 suicide bombings, which killed 56 people, and attempted copycat attacks on July 21.

Consultation with Muslim groups

Prime Minister Tony Blair warned earlier this month "the rules of the game are changing".

The home office plan - compiled after a two-week consultation with Muslim groups and other organisations - applied to non-British citizens already in the country and those who wanted to come here.

It would be used as a basis for Clarke to ban or deport people from Britain.

The acts of so-called "unacceptable behaviour" included those which:

Foment, justify or glorify terrorist violence;

Seek to provoke others to terrorist acts;

Foment other serious criminal activity or seek to provoke others to commit serious criminal acts; and

Foster hatred which might lead to inter-community violence in the UK.

The list was shorter than a draft proposed by Clarke three weeks ago, but the home office said the final version was "indicative rather than exhaustive".

- AFP