UK to introduce new Counter-Terrorism Bill

PanARMENIAN.Net - British jihadists who fight abroad could be prevented from returning home under new powers outlined by the Prime Minister, BBC News reported.

David Cameron said the special exclusion orders - which could last for two years or more - would ban suspected fighters entering the UK unless they agreed to strict controls.

Officials would also have the power to stop suspected fighters leaving the UK.

The plans form part of the Counter-Terrorism Bill, due to be published before the end of the month. Downing Street said it hoped the bill would be law by the end of January, according to the BBC.

The plan to create Temporary Exclusion Orders comes after coalition talks, following the Prime Minister's announcement in September of new counter-terrorism proposals.

Under the powers, British citizens suspected of fighting with Islamic State (IS) militants would be stopped from re-entering the country unless they gave themselves up at the border.

Each suspect would have their passport cancelled and their name would be added to a "no-fly list" that would prevent them departing for the UK.

At the same time, each suspect would be allowed to return only if they agreed to be escorted by the police before facing either prosecution or close supervision under monitoring powers.

The exclusion orders would last for up to two years at a time and could be renewed. Breaches could lead to prison.

Police and some border officers will also be given the power to seize passports if they have reasonable suspicion that someone is travelling abroad for terror-related activity - including those under the age of 18.

The document could be held for 30 days, subject to a magistrate's review.

Airlines could be fined if they do not comply with the UK's requirement to screen passengers and stop suspects from boarding planes.

Cameron, who is in Australia for the G20 summit, gave more details when he addressed the country's parliament in Canberra.

"We have to deal with the threat of foreign fighters planning attacks against our people," he told Australian MPs.

"Your prime minister has given a strong international lead on this, helping to galvanize the UN Security Council with a powerful address. Last month this parliament passed new legislation to tackle foreign fighters. And we will shortly be introducing our own new Counter-Terrorism Bill in the UK."

He continued: "New powers for police at ports to seize passports, to stop suspects travelling and to stop British nationals returning to the UK unless they do so on our terms. New rules to prevent airlines that don't comply with our no-fly lists or security screening measures from landing in the UK."

Cameron said the UK was making progress on taking down extremist online material, but said there was "further to go" and called on internet companies to do more.

"This is their social responsibility and we expect them to live up to it," he said.

The "root cause" of the challenge facing the UK and Australia was not poverty or foreign policy, Cameron added, but "the extremist narrative".

"We must ban extremist preachers from our countries, we must root out extremism from our school, universities and prisons," he said. "As we do so we must work with the overwhelming majority of Muslims who abhor the twisted narrative that has seduced some of our people."