15 years in jail for watching terrorist videos
The Home Secretary closes a loophole that allowed online streaming
Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, is set to announce that viewing terrorist content online will become a criminal offence, carrying up to 15 years in prison.
“I want to make sure those who view despicable terrorist content online, including jihadi websites, far-right propaganda and bomb-making instructions, face the full force of the law,” she said.
The proposed change to the current law, under which anyone caught in possession of information likely to be useful for a terrorist could be jailed for ten years, closes a loophole that allowed people to watch streaming videos without penalty.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“Currently the power applies only to online material that has been downloaded and stored on the offender’s computer, is saved on a separate device or printed off as a hard copy,” explains The Guardian.
Officials say that “it has become possible to identify users even if they do not download footage, but that the law has not caught up”, The Times reports.
According to the BBC, “the new offence would apply only to those who repeatedly viewed online terrorist material, to safeguard those who click on a link by mistake or who could argue that they did so out of curiosity rather than with criminal intent”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why Bhutan hopes tourists will put a smile back on its face
Under The Radar The 'kingdom of happiness' is facing economic problems and unprecedented emigration
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
DOJ charges 2 in white nationalist 'Terrorgram' plot
Feds say Dallas Humber and Matthew Allison were plotting assassinations through a terrorist network on Telegram
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Red Army Faction: German fugitive arrested after decades on run
Why Everyone's Talking About Police reward and TV appeal leads to capture of Daniela Klette, now 65
By The Week UK Published
-
Attacking the grid
Speed Read Domestic terrorism targeting the U.S. electric grid is exposing dangerous vulnerabilities
By The Week Staff Published
-
Terror police probe uranium seized at Heathrow
Speed Read The radioactive substance was found during routine inspection of package flown into the airport
By Arion McNicoll Published
-
Manchester bombing report exposes ‘incompetence’
Speed Read Newly published findings of public inquiry into 2017 attack describe a litany of failures
By The Week Staff Published
-
The terrorism 'mastermind'
Speed Read Before he was killed in a U.S. drone strike, Ayman al-Zawahiri was one of the most wanted men in the world
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
What we know about the Copenhagen mall shooting
Speed Read Lone gunman had mental health issues and not thought to have terror motive, police say
By The Week Staff Published
-
U.S. facing increased threat of extremism over next 6 months, DHS warns
Speed Read
By Brigid Kennedy Published