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Anti-terrorism Bill coming
Posted: Wednesday, February 12, 2003

Newsday TT

SAYING that escalating crime was now a world-wide phenomena and that Government was concerned with the high level of crime - especially murder - in this country, National Security Minister Howard Chin Lee last night assured that in a matter of weeks, several Bills, including a 'Suppression of Terrorism Bill', would be tabled in Parliament.

In his televised address to the Nation last night, Chin Lee assured that if these Bills were passed into Law, they would give the Protective Services more teeth to fight crime.

Chin Lee referred to the Kidnapping Bill; Firearms Amendment Bill and Suppression of Terrorism Bill.

Chin Lee said TT became a signatory to several international conventions on terrorism over the last 30 years. The Suppression of Terrorism Bill, he said, would create a wide range of offences for acts of terrorism with penalties ranging from death in cases of murder to imprisonment for 30 years.

This Bill would cover such offences as the commission of a terrorism act, arrangements (financial or otherwise) to facilitate the commission of such an act, support for terrorist groups dealing with terrorist properties, recruitment of terrorists, provision of training, use of property for meetings of terrorist groups and membership to such groups. This Bill, also covers bombings, hostage takings and hoaxes.

The Kidnapping Bill proposes to make kidnapping a statutory offence, covering such criminal acts as the detaining, confining, restraining and imprisoning of a person without due consent and/or where consent is obtained by fraud or duress.

The soliciting or demanding of money or property for the release of a kidnapped person and receipt of a ransom would also become offences under the Act.

The Firearms Amendment Bill, Chin Lee said, would amend the Firearms Act inter alia to increase most of the fines and penalties for offences under existing legislation, as government seeks to deter persons from committing these types of offences.

In his address, Chin Lee said he had received a report from experts at the Forensic Sciences Centre following examination of several substances seized by police, after a daily newspaper (not NEWSDAY) recently reported the uncovering of a terrorist-cell in this country, which had the capacity to create weapons of mass destruction.

Chin Lee said based on the forensic report, all of the items (except) one, were inert material and are not items used to produce biological agents, explosives or chemical weapons. The one exception, Sulphuric Acid, is a corrosive substance and is normally used in car batteries and in the manufacture of fertilisers.

Following his disclosure on the forensic report, Chin Lee pleaded with the media to "not in the name of free speech, engage in behaviour that is analogus to shouting "fire" in a crowded cinema. Nowhere is free speech right".

Chin Lee also said that there were three other Bills - the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2002; Police Service Bill, 2002 and Police Service Complaints Authority Bill, 2002 - which were readied for Parliament "some time now".

Chin Lee blamed Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday for the delay in the tabling of these three Bills after Panday called for Constitutional Reform as a prerequisite to the government getting the Opposition UNC's support for the passage of these three Bills.

Chin Lee also told the Nation a "package of legislation" dealing with the reform of the Penal system (including the treatment of offenders) had been drafted and is now before Cabinet. These include amendments to the Prison Act and Prison Rules, the Community Services Orders Act, introduction of suspended sentences, introduction of curfew orders and introduction of attendance centres orders.

Chin Lee said Government intends to substantially upgrade the capabilities of the Forensic Sciences Centre with the provisions for DNA testing facilities.



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