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14 Jan 2022

Have you been accused of a terrorist act?

At ABV Solicitors, our criminal solicitor can represent you when you are accused of terrorism and will work to ensure that you are defended ethically and that your human rights are met throughout any trial.

Here, our criminal solicitor answers common questions about terrorism law in the UK.

What is considered terrorism in the UK?

According to our criminal solicitor, the Terrorism Act of 2000 defines terrorism as a set of actions that are used to influence the government, an international governmental organisation or intimidate the public. This applies to actions committed both inside and outside of the UK.

The specific actions that are considered terrorism are;

• Violence against an individual.
• Serious property damage.
• Endangering someone’s life (other than that of the person committing the action).
• Creating a serious risk to the safety of the general populous or a group within the public domain.
• An action which can damage electronic databases, such as the electoral register or voting register.

The threat of committing any of the aforementioned acts using firearms or explosives is also considered an act of terrorism, even if the goal of threatening the action was not meant to intimidate a governmental authority.

Which authority accuses someone of terrorism?

You can be arrested on suspicion of terrorism and can be charged with it by the police.

But, as there are many hotlines and other online resources available, you can be accused of terrorism, or association with a terrorist organisation by anybody but the charge of terrorism is the responsibility of the police based on the aforementioned points above.

In the UK, should it go to court, the Crown Prosecution Service will be responsible for handling your case.

What happens if you are arrested for terrorism?

If you are arrested for terrorism, the first thing you should do is contact our team at ABV Solicitors for advice.

You will be given the right to remain silent, the right to seek legal advice and will be provided with the reasons as to why you have been arrested. If you need an interpreter, one will be provided for you in the interviews or to read any paperwork.

However, if you are arrested for terrorism, the rules surrounding how long you can be detained are different. Based on the severity of the accusation, you can be detained for 48 hours if the court does not want to press charges. However, if the court decides to do so, you can be held in custody for up to 14 days if you are deemed a serious risk or threat to the public.

What is the penalty for being accused of a terrorist act?

As of May 2020, the laws around punishment and sentencing for terrorism have changed.

Anyone accused of committing terrorism in the UK can face a minimum of 14 years in prison and tougher monitoring when they are released.

For more serious cases of committing a terrorist act, you may face life imprisonment.

Can a terrorism sentence be reduced?

When you are accused of terrorism, you need to seek the advice of a solicitor who has expertise in this area of the law.

Our team at ABV Solicitors will aim to have any sentence reduced and, when your case goes to court, will liaise to get the minimum sentence for your crime.