UK unveils anti-terror bill

British Home Secretary Theresa May outlined the anti-terror bill on Monday, saying it aimed to give authorities new powers at a time when the country was facing its greatest-ever threat from terrorism.

"When the security and intelligence agencies tell us that the threat we face is now more dangerous than at any time before or since 9/11 we should take notice," she told an audience in London.

The new legislation, known as the Counter Terrorism and Security Bill, will be introduced to parliament on Wednesday.

The counterterrorism legislation would ban Britain-based insurance companies from reimbursing ransoms with a view to deterring families trying to meet terrorists' financial demands. Britain, like the United States, opposes giving ransoms to groups like "Islamic State" (IS), arguing such payments put more people at risk and help fund terrorist activities.

The bill would give police and border guards the power to seize passports and tickets from people suspected of planning to travel abroad for terrorist purposes. It also includes measures to strengthen online security by forcing Internet firms to retain data linking IP addresses to individual users.

May said the rapid advance of IS had given "energy and a renewed sense of purpose" to Islamic extremists in Britain, and that new powers were necessary in order "to defend ourselves."

However, Shami Chakrabarti, director of human rights group Liberty, accused the government of "high talk and rushed legislation in an attempt to look tough."

Home-grown terror threat

Authorities estimate some 500 Britons have traveled to Iraq and Syria to fight alongside IS. One of them is believed to be the militant who has appeared in online beheading videos published by IS in recent months. There are concerns, in particular, about young people leaving to fight with the group after becoming radicalized via internet platforms.

"The danger posed by violent extremists has evolved," said Mark Rowley, Britain's chief counter-terror police officer. "Now, they are homegrown, in our communities."

According to police, more than 270 arrests have been made in connection to counterterror investigations so far this year.

May said that around 40 terrorist plots had been foiled since 2005, when a London suicide attack carried out by four young Britons killed 52 people. These schemes included plans to blow up the London stock exchange, bring down passenger airliners and gun attacks on British streets, May added.

"Almost all of these attacks have been prevented," said May. "But as the IRA once boasted, the terrorists only have to be lucky once."

In August, the official terror threat level in Britain was raised to "severe," which means an attack is considered "highly likely."

nm/shs (Reuters, AP, AFP)