Posted by
Darko Trifunovic on Friday, April 25, 2008 3:34:25 PM
EU to Criminalize Internet-Based Incitement to Terrorism
European Union justice ministers have agreed that using the Internet to
publish bomb recipes or call for acts of terrorism to be committed
should count as a criminal offence.
The 27 member states agreed on Friday, April 18, to introduce as
new offences "public provocation to commit a terrorist offence,
recruitment, and training for terrorism" which would be punishable
"also when committed through the Internet."
People found guilty of "disseminating terrorist propaganda and
bomb-making expertise through the Internet can therefore be prosecuted
and sentenced to prison," the justice ministers said in a joint
statement.
The commission's proposal would also allow EU law-enforcement
agencies to demand cooperation from Internet providers in order to
identify the people making such calls and to ensure that the offending
material is taken off-line.
Closing gaps in prior legislation
The EU's counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove said last
week that some 5,000 Internet sites "contribute to radicalizing young
people in Europe."
In 2002, the EU member states agreed common rules for fighting
terrorism, but those rules didn't include Internet-based calls to
commit terrorist acts.
While some details of the proposal still need to be finalized,
Friday's agreement signifies a basic level of support, making it
unlikely that any member states would oppose its adoption.