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Dear list members,
For your information and use, in letter writing etc,
here is the definition of terrorism in the UK Terrorism Act 2000.
The definition can be argued with, of course, but the useful
thing about it is that it is _their_ definition and we have it in
writing. Note that it includes not just acts, but threats to act. We can
conclude that almost every sentence uttered by Blair/Straw on Iraq
constitutes a terrorist act, by their own definition. The imposition of
sanctions satisfies the definition. In fact the actions
and threats of the UK government regarding Iraq collectively satisfy _all_
the categories in section (2) (just one will do to satify the
definition) which is quite impressive.
best wishes,
Fay
********** From Terrorism Act 2000, Part I ******************************
(1) In this Act "terrorism" means the use or threat of action where-
(a) the action falls within subsection (2),
(b) the use or threat is designed to influence the government or to
intimidate the public or a section of the public, and
(c) the use or threat is made for the purpose of advancing a
political, religious or ideological cause.
(2) Action falls within this subsection if it-
(a) involves serious violence against a person,
(b) involves serious damage to property,
(c) endangers a person's life, other than that of the person
committing the action,
(d) creates a serious risk to the health or safety of the public or
a section of the public, or
(e) is designed seriously to interfere with or seriously to disrupt
an electronic system.
(3) The use or threat of action falling within subsection (2) which
involves the use of firearms or explosives is terrorism
whether or not subsection (1)(b) is satisfied.
(4) In this section-
(a) "action" includes action outside the United Kingdom,
(b) a reference to any person or to property is a reference to any
person, or to property, wherever situated,
(c) a reference to the public includes a reference to the public of a
country other than the United Kingdom, and
(d) "the government" means the government of the United Kingdom, of
a Part of the United Kingdom or of a country other than the
United Kingdom.
*************************************************************************
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+ Fay Dowker Physics Department +
+ Queen Mary, University of London +
+ E-mail: f.dowker@qmul.ac.uk Mile End Road, +
+ Phone: +44-(0)20-7882-5047 London E1 4NS. +
+ Fax: +44-(0)20-8981-9465 +
+ Homepage: http://monopole.ph.qmw.ac.uk/~dowker/home.html +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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