Legislation criminalising travel abroad to join terror groups still at preliminary stage
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Legislation making it a criminal offence to travel abroad to join a terrorist group has not moved beyond the preliminary stage over a year after an EU deadline, according to reports.
The Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Bill aims to give effect to EU Directive 2017/541 on combating terrorism and includes offences of travel for the purposes of committing a terrorist offence, facilitating travel for terrorism and receiving training for terrorism.
The bill was included in the Government’s legislative programme for spring/summer 2018, but it has still not been brought forward in spite of an EU deadline of September 2018 for transposition into national law.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice told the Irish Examiner: “Work to progress the Terrorist Offences (Amendment) Bill is progressing in the Department of Justice and Equality but is currently at the preliminary stage.”
They added: “It should also be noted that any transposing legislation would not apply retrospectively and that many of those who travelled to Syria, and the wider region, from an EU country during the conflict, did so prior to the introduction of the directive in 2017.”
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