UK Terrorism Bill

[Jedi <jedi@cyberjedi.org.uk>]

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Hi all,

The article below should be of interest. Under new UK legislation it will be a 
terrorist offence to plan or carry out an action "designed seriously to interfere 
with or seriously to disrupt an electronic system" if it was done for political,
religious or ideological purposes and if it aimed to influence government
or intimidate the public. Jamming Echelon and floodnet style DDOSs will 
clearly be classified as terrrorist activity. 

More info about the terrorism bill can be found at 
http://www.blagged.freeserve.co.uk/terrorbill/index.htm
& http://www.newlabour.com

Take care,
N

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Lords veto terror bill exemption for journalists 

Julia Hartley-Brewer 
The Guardian
Wednesday June 21, 2000

Peers last night refused to exempt journalists from new nationwide
anti-terrorism laws that will require anyone with information about a
terrorist act to notify the police.

The Lords voted to reject a Liberal Democrat amendment proposing to exempt
journalists from the bill's requirement to notify the police of any
information they receive about potential terrorist acts.

Lib Dem frontbencher Lord Goodhart QC told peers the provision would
inhibit journalistic investigations into the source of terrorist funds and
would be an attack on the right of journalists to protect their sources.

He said: "We regard this bill, insofar as it applies to journalists, as
being a serious infringement of freedom of speech and a serious
infringement of the freedom of the press."

But Cabinet Office minister Lord Falconer countered that journalists had a
"degree of responsibility to society", and that the Lib Dem amendment
would create a "potential loophole" in the bill. The amendment was
rejected by 145 votes to 65.

Peers did, however, agree various government amendments aimed at extending
the anti-terrorism legislation, including action to counter
cyber-terrorism.

The Lords voted to extend the definition of terrorism to include the use
or threat of action "designed seriously to interfere with or seriously to
disrupt an electronic system".

Such action would be covered under the bill if it was done for political,
religious or ideological purposes and if it aimed to influence government
or intimidate the public.

The bill was also amended to allow such offences in Northern Ireland,
under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, to be heard in non-jury Diplock
courts.

Lord Cope, a former Tory Northern Ireland minister, said: "Financial
rackets involved in computers and so on can be just as damaging and just
as much of a weapon in the hands of the terrorists in Northern Ireland as
bombs and guns are."

Lord Goodhart, for the Lib Dems, welcomed the changes as an improvement
but warned that his party would seek further changes at the bill's third
reading.

Pressed by Tory peer Lady Blatch on whether the new definition of
terrorism could include threats by animal rights protesters to staff and
shareholders of the Huntingdon Life Sciences Company, Lord Bach indicated
that it could.

The minister said: "Whether it's covered by this legislation depends on
the nature of the attack, obviously. Certainly, if serious violence were
used and the public was put in fear and the motivation was religious,
political or ideological, it could be caught by the bill."
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