Britain's anti-terrorism law comes into force today

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, FEB. 18. Britain's new tough anti-terrorism law comes into force tomorrow but there is as yet no indication which of the U.K.-based terrorist groups that India wants banned would be proscribed, if any at all. The British Government in its discussions with New Delhi on this issue has been extremely cautious, it is learnt, and has given no hint of its thinking.

The list of groups which the Indian Government is understood to have given includes the Laskhar-e-Taiba, the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and the Jaish-i-Mohammed all of whom are actively engaged in cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

London and New Delhi have been in regular touch over the issue, and last month experts from two countries exchanged notes at a meeting of the joint working group on terrorism held in the Indian capital.

Eventually a decision on banning a group would be guided by the British security services' perception of its activities, and the political implications of proscribing an organisation.

In the case of the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam (LTTE), for instance, a major consideration would be its effect on the peace process.

The LTTE's main negotiator here, Mr. Anton Balasingham, has already warned that a ban would impede the peace efforts which are now underway, and similarly the leader of Al- Muhajiroun group which supports Muslim extremists in Kashmir and Central and West Asia has said that a ban would simply drive his activists underground and ``then God help the Government.''

Until now, no action could be taken against any group - even self-confessed extremist outfits - so long as they did not break any domestic law with the result that in recent years Britain has become a haven for terrorist organisations, most of which are openly engaged in raising funds and recruiting ``volunteers'' for waging guerrilla wars against foreign countries.

From tomorrow however life is expected to become more difficult for them. Raising funds, organising meetings and recruiting jehadis would be deemed an offence if it is established that these activities are intended to export terrorism. Once a group is banned, then any association with it - direct or indirect - would be deemed to be an offence and punishable.

Besides, India and Sri Lanka other countries which are expecting relief from the activities of U.K.-based groups include Iran, Iraq, Israel and Russia.

But the one which is likely to face the axe first is Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaeda which has been terrorising the Americans.

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Section  : International
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