Powers to ban extremists unveiled

ITV
Aug. 24, 2005

Home Secretary Charles Clarke has set out a list of "unacceptable behaviour" which could see extremists deported from Britain.

Fundamentalists who engage in the activities on the list could also be prevented from entering the country.

The types of conduct to be outlawed include inflammatory preaching and publishing views fostering hatred or fomenting terrorism.

The banned list applies to any non-UK citizen, either living in the country or abroad.

Mr Clarke said Britain is facing a "real and significant" threat which the Government and law enforcement agencies have to counter.

"That includes tackling those who seek to foster hatred or promote terrorism, sending a strong message that they are not welcome in the UK," he said.

"Individuals who seek to create fear, distrust and division in order to stir up terrorist activity will not be tolerated by the Government or by our communities.

"By publishing the list today, I make it absolutely clear that these are unacceptable behaviours, and will be the grounds for deporting and excluding such individuals from the UK."

The announcement comes after a United Nations expert criticised British plans to deport terrorism suspects to countries that may have committed human rights abuses in the past.

Britain is seeking agreements with those countries to make sure returnees will not be tortured.

But Manfred Nowak, UN special rapporteur on torture, said such assurances were "not an appropriate tool to eradicate this risk".

"The fact that such assurances are sought shows in itself that the sending country perceives a serious risk of the deportee being subjected to torture or ill-treatment upon arrival in the receiving country," he said.