Author: Times News Network
Publication: Times of India
Date: October 25, 2001
URL: http://www.timesofindia.com/articleshow.asp?art_ID=265278348
NEW DELHI: With the promulgation
of the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance (POTO),
2001, at least 25 groups have been put on the list of ``terrorist organisations''
and declared as ``unlawful'' and banned under Section 18 of the ordinance.
Under the law, members, supporters
and even those who ``invite support'' for these organisations could face
up to 14 years in prison.
Giving details, Union home secretary
Kamal Pande Thursday said, ``Some more organisations could be included
in the existing list of banned terrorist organisations as and when the
need arises in future.'' About POTO, he said, ``it is the first all-comprehensive
legal salvo against all kinds of terrorism, for terrorists and all kinds
of terror creating organisations.''
Even those terrorist organisations
which had so far not come under the banned list have come under the purview
of the law. The banned organisations include terrorist outfits operating
in Jammu and Kashmir, the north-east and elsewhere in India.
The banned organisations are: Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Commando
Force, Khalistan Zindabad Force, International Sikh Youth Federation, Laskhar-e-Taiba/
Pasban-e-Ahle Hadis, Jaish-e-Mohammade/Tahrik-e-Furqan, Harqat-ul-Mujahideen/Harkat-ul-Ansar,
Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen/Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Pir Panjal
Regiment, Al-Umar-Mujahideen, Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front.
The organisations banned in the
north-east include: In Assam, United Liberation Front of Assam, National
Democratic Front of Bodoland, in Manipur, People's Liberation Army, United
National Liberation Front, Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Kangleipak
Communist Party, Kanglei Yaol Kamba Lup, Manipur People's Liberation Front.
In Nagaland, National Socialist Council of Nagaland, including all its
factions, wings and front organisations. In Tripura, All-Tripura Tiger
Force, National Liberation Front of Tripura; in meghalaya, Achik National
Volunteer Council, Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council.
The list also includes the names
of the recently banned organisations Students Islamic Movement of India
and Deendar Anjuman.
Chapter III of the ordinance deals
with terrorist organisations and Section 20 says ``a person commits an
offence if he belongs or professes to belong to a terrorist organisation.''
``A person guilty of an offence under Section 18 shall be liable, on conviction,
to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or with a fine or with
both,'' it said.
Section 21 of the ordinance goes
even further and says a person would be committing an offence if he invites
support for a terrorist organisation, organises meetings to support such
an organisation or organises a meeting to be addressed by persons who belong
to the terrorist organisations.
This Act would also invite similar
punishment as provided under Section 20. Section 21 clarifies that a ``meeting''
as given in this Section need not necessarily be a public meeting.
Section 22 provides that ``a person
commits an offence if he invites another to provide money or other property
and intends that it should be used, or has reasonable cause to suspect
that it may be used, for the purpose of terrorism.''
An offence under this Section would
invite a maximum sentence of 14 years on conviction. The ordinance provides
for constitution of special courts to deal with offences enumerated by
it.
