Clause 1 - Offences to which the Act applies
Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill
4:45 pm
Peter Robinson (Belfast East, DUP)
The Minister says that the definition of terrorism used in the Bill is the definition contained in the Terrorism Act 2000. I cannot immediately find a definition for terrorism in that Act, but section 40 of that Act defines a terrorist as a person who has committed an offence
“under any of sections 11, 12, 15 to 18”
and several others, and under section 17 a person commits an offence if
“he enters into or becomes concerned in an arrangement as a result of which money or other property is made available or is to be made available to another”,
or engages in a range of other activities relating to money laundering. In effect, any act that raises funds for terrorist purposes is an offence. In the Bill, however, terrorism is further defined and qualified by the additional phrase:
“(whether committed for terrorist purposes or not)”.
While bank robberies and other matters will be regarded as acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000, can we assume that such acts are covered by the Bill if they are committed
“(whether ... for terrorist purposes or not)”?