Terrorism and Law: The need of the hour

In the wake of the recent Mumbai terror attacks, the government has announced to take strict and bold actions to combat the menace of terrorism. One of the measures taken has been tabling the National Investigation Agency Bill and the Unlawful Activities Prevention (Amendment) Bill, which will ensure a stricter legal regime.

The National Investigation Agency will be a central body, having overriding powers to identify terror instances and investigate them, taking them over from state agencies. It will be empowered to independently commence investigation into cases dealing with inter-state crimes with possible international linkages e.g. circulation of fake Indian currency notes, organised crime and drugs trafficking, apart from terror activities. It will take up cases depending on the enormity and necessity of the crimes and has proposed a special court for trying such cases.

One of the amendments sought to be brought in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 2004 is longer detention, upto 180 days of a terror suspect without bail and denial of bail to a foreigner accused of terrorism. It also expands the definition of "terrorist act" to include abetment, raising funds for terror activities, organising terror camps and recruiting persons for carrying out terrorist activities.

The government also proposes to update the National Security Act, 1980 to include the definition of terrorist and bring any other required amendment.

Read more on the issue here .

Debosmita Nandy, Director, SACJ 2007-08, NUJS