/ 17 July 2006

UK bans groups for glorifying terrorism

The British government moved on Monday to ban for the first time two Islamist militant groups based in Britain under new laws prohibiting the glorification of terrorism, officials said.

Home Secretary John Reid named the outlawed groups as al-Ghurabaa and the Saved Sect, Home Office officials said, adding the groups are to be banned under new glorification criteria introduced in the Terrorism Act 2006.

The Home Office also said it intends to use existing anti-terror laws to ban two international groups, the Baluchistan Liberation Army and Teyrebaz Azadiye Kurdistan.

Reid laid an order in Parliament which will make it a criminal offence for a person to belong to or encourage support for al-Gurabaa and the Saved Sect, to arrange meetings in their support or to wear clothes or carry articles in public indicating support or membership. — AFP