Terror watchdog: Laws to silence extremist preachers could backfire

Extremism warning: An armed man brandishes an Isis flag
Reuters

The Government’s terror watchdog has warned that Theresa May’s plans to curb extremist speech risk extending the “surveillance state” too far.

In a rebuff to the Home Secretary, David Anderson QC, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said proposals due to be included in a new Counter-Extremism Bill could put “all sorts of people under suspicion”.

He added that the changes could also backfire by making those with “grotesque” views appear “more reasonable and moderate” than they are.

The legislation, due to be published in Parliament this autumn, will aim to silence preachers and others whose propaganda is deemed to encourage support for Islamist extremism.

The measures are expected to include “extremism disruption orders”, which will impose Asbo-type restrictions on individuals, and powers to bar venues from hosting events involving extremist speakers. Prime Minister David Cameron has said that the measures would seek to stop “facilitators and cult leaders” from “peddling their hatred”.

But Mr Anderson suggested that existing laws — on inciting violence or hatred — were sufficient. Referring to a radical preacher who called for apostates to be put to death, he said: “If you are going to extend the criminal law further… and start to criminalise people for their views on apostates or the fact they might have admired Hitler, I think you get into difficulties because you put all sorts of people under suspicion.

“You get informers, you get the whole apparatus of the surveillance state maybe going a little bit further than a lot of people are comfortable with.”

Mr Anderson, speaking on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme, added: “People with twisted, unpleasant, antisocial, horrible views do have to be challenged, but I don’t always think the state is the right body to be doing that. I think people are more effectively persuaded by members of their own family, friends, their community.”

Legislation to restrict extremist speech was first proposed in 2013 following the murder of Lee Rigby but was not enacted, partly because of opposition within the Coalition.

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