Laws to tackle hate preachers ‘quite wrong’, says terror tsar
BRITAIN’S terror law tsar last night put himself on a collision course with Theresa May by arguing it would be “quite wrong” to introduce laws tackling hate preachers.
Barrister Max Hill warned against using anti-terror laws on “thought” if the person was not planning or committing violent acts – for example, if they just viewed extremist material online.
The Conservative election manifesto in June offered “potential new criminal offences to defeat extremism” including banning orders and “extremism disruption orders” to tackle problems like hate preachers.
But during a speech to human rights group Justice in London last night, the Government’s reviewer of terror laws warned against a “knee-jerk reaction” to recent attacks.
He suggested moves in the past 30 years to lengthen jail terms “for more modest or middle-ground terrorist offences” were driven by political motive rather than need. And there would have to be “very careful work” to protect the innocent if Home Secretary Amber Rudd went ahead with plans for jail terms of up to 15 years for repeatedly viewing terrorist content online.
Mr Hill said: “Whilst we can all agree there should be nowhere for real terrorists to hide, we should also agree that legislating in the name of terrorism – when the targeted activity is not actually terrorism – would be quite wrong. We do not, and should not, criminalise thought without action or preparation for action.
“Thought with steps towards action can be terrorism. Thought without action or preparation for action may be extremism, but it is not terrorism.” He then urged Parliament to pause before “rushing to add yet more offences to the already long list”.
Mr Hill’s speech came as the UK’s top counter terrorism police officer called on social media giants to be more proactive in raising the alarm over potential threats.
Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley said firms must work closer with police, given the speed at which events move and the volume of material to be sifted through.
“Sometimes they will spot somebody sharing bomb making instructions months before we know about it because it’s happening on their systems,” he told the Commons Home Affairs committee. “More proactivity in those sorts of areas could make a big difference.”