The Government is to introduce new legislation which will give the State more powers to combat international terrorism and groups which operate outside the country.
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McDowell: We have to be extra vigilant
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The Criminal Justice Terrorist Offences Bill is to be published today by the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell and will proscribe foreign terrorist organisations which operate outside the State but will also introduce new offences to the statute.
Assisting terrorist organisations, financial crime, the taking of hostages, bombings and other offences will be established as new offences in the State.
Under the new legislation, the State will have the power to treat organisations such as Al-Qeada in the same way as paramilitaries are currently treated. In certain cases it will allow for the prosecution of terrorism offences which happen outside the State.
Speaking on RTÉ this morning, Mr McDowell said "There is a significant threat that Ireland would be usedfor international terrorism purposes, and there is evidence to suggest it hasbeen used for that purpose without our knowledge for some time now.
"That is to be expected because we are a small, open, liberal state with lawswhich are by no means repressive and we have a regime here that does not keeptabs on everyone," Mr McDowell said.
"We have to be extra vigilant that we do not become a base for internationalterrorism - or the financing of international terrorism," he added.
"We have had a code that is directed entirely against threats against theIrish state. What we have not had is a workable law that outlaws and proscribesand gives the Gardai the powers to search and detain people theysuspect of being involved in terrorism abroad.
"The world has changed dramatically in the last 30 or 40 years. What were inthe past freedom fighters, fighting for justice here and there, who were givenrather benign treatment in Irish law, have now taken on a different aspect.
"They are people in many respects who are planning major atrocities, and wehave to deploy against them just as much as the power of the state as we haveagainst the internal threat, which, I hope, is now receding.
"This law applies to international terrorism the full range of powers thatexist to deal with the domestic threat," Mr McDowell said.
The proposed legislation will become law in the New Year.