Suppression of Terrorism Act 1978

If a person, whether a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies or not, does in a convention country any act which, if he had done it in a part of the United Kingdom, would have made him guilty in that part of the United Kingdom of—

he shall, in that part of the United Kingdom, be guilty of the offence or offences aforesaid of which the act would have made him guilty if he had done it there.

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If a person who is a national of a convention country but not a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies does outside the United Kingdom and that convention country any act which makes him in that convention country guilty of an offence and which, if he had been a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, would have made him in any part of the United Kingdom guilty of an offence mentioned in paragraph 1, 2 or 13 of Schedule 1 to this Act, he shall, in any part of the United Kingdom, be guilty of the offence or offences aforesaid of which the act would have made him guilty if he had been such a citizen.

Proceedings for an offence which F4(disregarding the provisons of the M1Internationally Protected Persons Act 1978) F5, the Nuclear Material (Offences) Act 1983 F6, the United Nations Personnel Act 1997 and the Terrorism Act 2000 would not be an offence apart from this section shall not be instituted—

F7. . .

Without prejudice to any jurisdiction exercisable apart from this subsection, every sheriff court in Scotland shall have jurisdiction to entertain proceedings for an offence which (disregarding the provisions of the M2Internationally Protected Persons Act 1978 and the Nuclear Material (Offences) Act 1983 , the United Nations Personnel Act 1997 and the Terrorism Act 2000)would not be an offence in Scotland apart from this section.

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For the purposes of this section any act done—

shall be treated as done in that convention country; F8and subsection (4) of section 92 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 (definition of ’in flight’ or, as applied to hovercraft, ’in journey’) shall apply for the purposes of this subsection as it applies for the purposes of that section.

The Secretary of State may by order direct that section 4 above shall apply in relation to a country falling within subsection (2) below as it applies in relation to a convention country, subject to the exceptions (if any) specified in the order.

A country falls within this subsection if—

For paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 3 to the M1Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975 (postponement of operation of order for return to Republic of Ireland of person accused of extraterritorial offence where he is serving a sentence imposed for any offence) there shall be substituted—

“(2)

If at the time when the order under this paragraph is made the accused stands charged with or convicted of an offence other than the extra-territorial offence, so much of the order as directs him to be delivered as aforesaid shall not take effect until the conclusion of the proceedings (including any appeal or retrial) in respect of that other offence and of any sentence of imprisonment or detention imposed in those proceedings.”.

This section shall extend to Northern Ireland only.

Subject to subsection (2) below, this Act shall extend to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and shall have effect as if each of them were part of the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty may by Order in Council direct that this Act shall, in its application to any of the said islands, have effect subject to such exceptions, adaptations or modifications as may be specified in the Order.

Her Majesty may by Order in Council make provision for extending any provisions of this Act, with such exceptions, adaptations or modifications as may be specified in the Order, to any colony, other than a colony for whose external relations a country other than the United Kingdom is responsible, or any country outside Her Majesty’s dominions in which Her Majesty has jurisdiction in right of the government of the United Kingdom.

An Order in Council under subsection (3) above shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

An Order in Council under subsection (2) or (3) above may be varied or revoked by a subsequent Order in Council under that subsection.

In this Act—

• “act” includes omission;

• “convention country” means a country for the time being designated in an order made by the Secretary of State as a party to the European Convention on the Supression of Terrorism signed at Strasbourg on the 27th January 1977;

• “country” includes any territory;

• “enactment” includes an enactment of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and an Order in Council under the M1Northern Ireland (Temporary Provisions) Act 1972 or the M2Northern Ireland Act 1974.

Except so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to an enactment is a reference to it as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.

For the purpose of construing references in this Act to other Acts, section 38(1) of the M3Interpretation Act 1889 shall apply in cases of repeal and re-enactment by a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly or by an Order in Council under the M4Northern Ireland Act 1974 as it applies in cases of repeal and re-enactment by an Act.

Any power to make an order conferred on the Secretary of State by any provision of this Act—

No order shall be made—

unless a draft of the order has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

Any statutory instrument containing F2. . . an order made under subsection (1) above shall be laid before Parliament after being made.

This Act may be cited as the Suppression of Terrorism Act 1978.

The enactments specified in Schedule 2 to this Act (which contains provisions superseded by section 3 above) are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule.

This Act shall come into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint, and different days may be so appointed for different purposes.

section 4 (soliciting etc. to commit murder);

section 18 (wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm);

section 20 (causing grievous bodily harm);

section 21 (attempting to choke etc. in order to commit or assist in the committing of any indictable offence);

section 22 (using chloroform etc. to commit or assist in the committing of any indictable offence);

section 23 (maliciously administering poison etc. so as to endanger life or inflict grievous bodily harm);

section 24 (maliciously administering poison etc. with intent to injure etc.);

section 48 (rape).

sections 1 or 2 (rape, assault by penetration);

section 4 (causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent), where the activity caused involved penetration within subsection (4)(a) to (d) of that section;

section 5 or 6 (rape of a child under 13, assault of a child under 13 by penetration);

section 8 (causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity), where an activity involving penetration within subsection (3)(a) to (d) of that section was caused;

section 30 (sexual activity with a person with a mental disorder impeding choice), where the touching involved penetration within subsection (3)(a) to (d) of that section;

section 31 (causing or inciting a person, with a mental disorder impeding choice, to engage in sexual activity), where an activity involving penetration within subsection (3)(a) to (d) of that section was caused.

section 55 (abduction of unmarried girl under 16);

section 56 (child-stealing or receiving stolen child).

section 28 (causing bodily injury by gunpowder);

section 29 (causing gunpowder to explode etc. with intent to do grievous bodily harm);

section 30 (placing gunpowder near a building etc. with intent to cause bodily injury).

section 2 (causing explosion likely to endanger life or property);

section 3 (doing any act with intent to cause such an explosion, conspiring to cause such an explosion, or making or possessing explosive with intent to endanger life or property).

an offence under section 16 (possession of firearm with intent to injure);

an offence under subsection (1) of section 17 (use of firearm or imitation firearm to resist arrest) involving the use or attempted use of a firearm within the meaning of that section.

an offence under Article 58(1) consisting of a person’s having in his possession any firearm or ammunition within the meaning of that Article with intent by that means to endanger life, or to enable another person by that means to endanger life;

an offence under Article 59(1) (use of firearm or imitation firearm to resist arrest) involving the use or attempted use of a firearm within the meaning of that Article.