OpenLegislation

Explanatory note

Original text. Later amendments are not shown.

(This note is not part of the Order)

Under section 3 of the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998, the Secretary of State must specify an organisation if he believes that it is concerned with terrorism connected with the affairs of Northern Ireland, or in promoting or encouraging it, and that it has not established or is not maintaining a complete and unequivocal ceasefire. The Secretary of State is obliged to review the list of specified organisations from time to time.

Following such a review, the Secretary of State has decided to specify the Ulster Defence Association, the Ulster Freedom Fighters and the Loyalist Volunteer Force in addition to the Continuity IRA, the “Real” IRA, the Red Hand Defenders and the Orange Volunteers which were specified by S.I. 1999/1152, which this Order revokes.

The effect of specifying an organisation is that a prisoner who is, or who would be likely to become, a supporter of such an organisation, is ineligible for release under the 1998 Act or, if released, is liable to recall to prison.