Part 1

Espionage, sabotage and persons acting for foreign powers

Foreign interference

Foreign interference: general
13
1
A person commits an offence if—
a
the person engages in prohibited conduct,
b
the foreign power condition is met in relation to the prohibited conduct, and
c
the person intends the prohibited conduct, or a course of conduct of which it forms part, to have an interference effect.
2
A person commits an offence if—
a
the person engages in prohibited conduct,
b
the foreign power condition is met in relation to the prohibited conduct, and
c
the person is reckless as to whether the prohibited conduct, or a course of conduct of which it forms part, will have an interference effect.
3
A person (“P”) commits an offence if—
a
P engages in a course of conduct with one or more other persons,
b
the foreign power condition is met in relation to conduct of P which forms part of the course of conduct,
c
P intends the course of conduct to have an interference effect,
d
as part of the course of conduct, a person other than P engages in prohibited conduct, and
e
P intends or believes that, as part of the course of conduct, a person other than P will engage in prohibited conduct.
4
For the purposes of subsections (1)(c) and (2)(c) a course of conduct includes a course of conduct engaged in by the person alone, or by the person and one or more other persons.
5
Subsections (1) and (2) apply whether the person’s conduct takes place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
6
Subsection (3) applies whether P’s conduct or the prohibited conduct takes place in the United Kingdom or elsewhere.
7
A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years or a fine (or both).
8
In this section—
- “interference effect” has the meaning given by section 14;
- “prohibited conduct” has the meaning given by section 15.