anti-terrorism bill delayed

Governments throughout the West have been seizing the opportunity presented by the hysteria surrounding the events of September 11 to tighten "anti-terrorist" laws making it easier to clamp down on dissidents and activists.

CONTENTS

no to the wto

anarchism as a scapegoat

anti-terrorism bill delayed

bad badder baddest

review of globilisation: origins history analysis resistance booklet

the personal and the
political

a new e-group: anti-war anti-capitalist

local anarchist news

In the UK, for example, authorities will be given powers to imprison suspects without trial. Here in New Zealand, the lawmakers have had to backtrack after initially trying to rush through secret amendments to the Terrorism (Bombing and Financing) Bill, which was originally introduced in April this year.
After a public outcry, the select committee dealing with the bill decided to remove the very worst changes and call for submissions on the rest, which have now been made public.

the definition of terrorism

The key to the bill is its definition of terrorism, which includes serious interference with or damage or disruption to an "infrastructure facility" or the "national economy" of "any country". This tendency to include economic disruption in the same category as bombings and subversion first appeared in our laws in the SIS Amendment Act 1996. It has been used to justify surveillance and other activities against individuals and groups opposed to the current free-market orthodoxy.
The section dealing with financing, being a member of or recruiting members for "Terrorist or Associated Entities" is also of great concern. As it stands, literally thousands of New Zealanders could have been charged under these provisions if this law had been in place before. Most of the international solidarity groups that have been active in New Zealand in recent years would be outlawed, including Philippines Solidarity, Nicaragua Must Survive, Kanak Solidarity, the anti-apartheid movement, and the East Timor Independence Centre.
Another key feature of the bill is that the Prime Minister has the power to designate an entity as a terrorist as an "interim measure". The PM requires no evidence, but only needs to have "good cause to suspect" the entity of involvement in one or more terrorist acts. After approximately one month, the interim designation (assuming it hasn't been repealed by the PM or revoked on appeal to the Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security) can be reissued as a final designation. This can only occur where the PM "believes on reasonable grounds" that the entity has had involvement in one or more terrorist acts. This designation remains for five years unless revoked. To make either an interim or final designation, the PM must also consult with the Minster of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Source: ARENA