The British government unveiled plans on Monday to outlaw 15 foreign Islamic militant groups as part of its campaign against terrorism following the July bombings here. Home Secretary Charles Clarke, Britain's senior law enforcement official, published a list of the groups and said he would seek Parliament's approval to "proscribe" them under counterterrorism laws approved in 2000.
The groups include Ansar al-Sunna, a group based in northern Iraq that has taken responsibility for suicide attacks in Kurdish areas and is believed to be an offshoot of Ansar al-Islam, another group in the region that was also on the British list. The Home Office said the groups would be effectively outlawed, and that anyone charged with being a member or supporter could face a prison term of up to 10 years and have their assets frozen.
In past years, Britain has banned 25 foreign groups, including Al Qaeda, and 14 groups in Northern Ireland, including the Irish Republican Army and various Protestant militant groups. "Proscription is an important power and not one to be used lightly," Mr. Clarke said on Monday. The list published on Monday included Islamic militant groups associated with Libya, Somalia, Morocco, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Some were said to have been formed in Afghanistan in the 1990's.
Last July 7, four bombers killed 52 people and themselves on three subway trains and a bus in London's worst peacetime attack. Two weeks later, attackers staged what seemed to have been a copycat attack which caused no direct casualties because the explosives failed to detonate. Since the attacks, Britain has promised to tighten its antiterrorism laws through measures such as extending the period for detention without charge or trial from 14 days to three months. Mr. Clarke said the list published on Monday underlined "the need to maintain a vigorous approach to dealing with terrorists and their supporters." He said Britain wished to signal "that we are not prepared to tolerate terrorism here or anywhere in the world." |