Terrorism Act 2000

Terrorist offences U.K.

54 Weapons training. U.K.

(1) A person commits an offence if he provides instruction or training in the making or use of—

(a) firearms,

[F1 (aa) radioactive material or weapons designed or adapted for the discharge of any radioactive material,]

(b) explosives, or

(c) chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

(2) A person commits an offence if he receives instruction or training in the making or use of—

(a) firearms,

[F1 (aa) radioactive material or weapons designed or adapted for the discharge of any radioactive material,]

(b) explosives, or

(c) chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

(3) A person commits an offence if he invites another to receive instruction or training and the receipt—

(a) would constitute an offence under subsection (2), or

(b) would constitute an offence under subsection (2) but for the fact that it is to take place outside the United Kingdom.

(4) For the purpose of subsections (1) and (3)—

(a) a reference to the provision of instruction includes a reference to making it available either generally or to one or more specific persons, and

(b) an invitation to receive instruction or training may be either general or addressed to one or more specific persons.

(5) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section in relation to instruction or training to prove that his action or involvement was wholly for a purpose other than assisting, preparing for or participating in terrorism.

(6) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to [F2 imprisonment for life] , to a fine or to both, or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(7) F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(8) F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(9) F3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 54(1)(aa)(2)(aa) inserted (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, s. 120(1)

F2 Words in s. 54(6) substituted (13.4.2015) by Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015 (c. 2), ss. 1(2), 95(1) (with s. 1(4)); S.I. 2015/778, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 1

F3 S. 54(7)-(9) repealed (18.6.2009) by Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (c. 28), ss. 39, 99, 100(5), Sch. 3 para. 2, Sch. 9 Pt. 3 (with s. 101(2)); S.I. 2009/1256, art. 2(c)(d)(e)

55 Weapons training: interpretation. U.K.

In section 54—

• [F4 “ biological weapon ” means a biological agent or toxin (within the meaning of the Biological Weapons Act 1974) in a form capable of use for hostile purposes or anything to which section 1(1)(b) of that Act applies, ]

• “chemical weapon” has the meaning given by section 1 of the M1 Chemical Weapons Act 1996, and

• [F5 “ radioactive material ” means radioactive material capable of endangering life or causing harm to human health, ]

• F6 . . .

Textual Amendments

F4 Words in s. 55 substituted (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, s. 120(2)(a)

F5 Words in s. 55 inserted (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, s. 120(2)(b)

F6 Words in s. 55 repealed (14.12.2001) by 2001 c. 24, ss. 120(2)(c), 125, Sch. 8 Pt. 7

Marginal Citations

M1 1996 c. 6.

56 Directing terrorist organisation. U.K.

(1) A person commits an offence if he directs, at any level, the activities of an organisation which is concerned in the commission of acts of terrorism.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for life.

57 Possession for terrorist purposes. U.K.

(1) A person commits an offence if he possesses an article in circumstances which give rise to a reasonable suspicion that his possession is for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

(2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that his possession of the article was not for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.

(3) In proceedings for an offence under this section, if it is proved that an article—

(a) was on any premises at the same time as the accused, or

(b) was on premises of which the accused was the occupier or which he habitually used otherwise than as a member of the public,

the court may assume that the accused possessed the article, unless he proves that he did not know of its presence on the premises or that he had no control over it.

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F7 15 years] , to a fine or to both, or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

Textual Amendments

F7 Words in s. 57(4)(a) substituted (13.4.2006) by Terrorism Act 2006 (c. 11), s. 13(1) (with (2)); S.I. 2006/1013, art. 2

58 Collection of information. U.K.

(1) A person commits an offence if—

(a) he collects or makes a record of information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, F8 ...

(b) he possesses a document or record containing information of that kind [F9 , or

(c) the person views, or otherwise accesses, by means of the internet a document or record containing information of that kind.]

[F10 (1A) The cases in which a person collects or makes a record for the purposes of subsection (1)(a) include (but are not limited to) those in which the person does so by means of the internet (whether by downloading the record or otherwise).]

(2) In this section “record” includes a photographic or electronic record.

(3) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he had a reasonable excuse for his action or possession.

[F11 (3A) The cases in which a person has a reasonable excuse for the purposes of subsection (3) include (but are not limited to) those in which—

(a) at the time of the person's action or possession the person did not know, and had no reason to believe, that the document or record in question contained, or was likely to contain, information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, or

(b) the person's action or possession was for the purposes of—

(i) carrying out work as a journalist, or

(ii) academic research.]

(4) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F12 15 years], to a fine or to both, or

(b) on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

(5) F13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(6) F13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(7) F13 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

F8 Word in s. 58(1)(a) omitted (12.4.2019) by virtue of Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (c. 3), ss. 3(2)(a), 27(3) (with s. 25(1))

F9 S. 58(1)(c) and preceding word inserted (12.4.2019) by Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (c. 3), ss. 3(2)(b), 27(3) (with s. 25(1))

F10 S. 58(1A) inserted (12.4.2019) by Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (c. 3), ss. 3(3), 27(3) (with s. 25(1))

F11 S. 58(3A) inserted (12.4.2019) by Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (c. 3), ss. 3(4), 27(3) (with s. 25(1))

F12 Words in s. 58(4)(a) substituted (12.4.2019) by Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (c. 3), ss. 7(3), 27(3) (with s. 25(2))

F13 S. 58(5)-(7) repealed (18.6.2009) by Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (c. 28), ss. 39, 99, 100(5), Sch. 3 para. 3, Sch. 9 Pt. 3 (with s. 101(2)); S.I. 2009/1256, art. 2(c)(d)(e)

[F14 58A Eliciting, publishing or communicating information about members of armed forces etc U.K.

(1) A person commits an offence who—

(a) elicits or attempts to elicit information about an individual who is or has been—

(i) a member of Her Majesty's forces,

(ii) a member of any of the intelligence services, or

(iii) a constable,

which is of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, or

(b) publishes or communicates any such information.

(2) It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that they had a reasonable excuse for their action.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F15 15 years] or to a fine, or to both;

(b) on summary conviction—

(i) in England and Wales or Scotland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both;

(ii) in Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to both.

[F16 (3A) In subsection (3)(b)(i), in its application to England and Wales, the reference to 12 months is to be read as a reference to the general limit in a magistrates’ court.]

(4) In this section “ the intelligence services ” means the Security Service, the Secret Intelligence Service and GCHQ (within the meaning of section 3 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 (c. 13)).

(5) Schedule 8A to this Act contains supplementary provisions relating to the offence under this section.]

Textual Amendments

F14 S. 58A inserted (16.2.2009) by Counter-Terrorism Act 2008 (c. 28), ss. 76(1)(2), 100(5) (with s. 101(2)); S.I. 2009/58, art. 2(d)

F15 Words in s. 58A(3)(a) substituted (12.4.2019) by Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 (c. 3), ss. 7(4), 27(3) (with s. 25(2))

F16 S. 58A(3A) inserted (7.2.2023 at 12.00 p.m.) by The Judicial Review and Courts Act 2022 (Magistrates’ Court Sentencing Powers) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/149), regs. 1(2), 9(2)