1 Hostage-taking.

(1)

A person, whatever his nationality, who, in the United Kingdom or elsewhere,—

(a)

detains any other person (“the hostage”), and

(b)

in order to compel a State, international governmental organisation or person to do or abstain from doing any act, threatens to kill, injure or continue to detain the hostage,

commits an offence.

(2)

A person guilty of an offence under this Act shall be liable, on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for life.