Terrorism Act 2000

The Terrorism Act 2000 is a law of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that received royal assent on July 20, 2000, and was the countrys first permanent, general anti-terrorism statute, replacing temporary measures such as the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 and the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996. The act set out a statutory definition of terrorism, based on the use or threat of serious violence, damage to property or endangerment of life for a political, religious or ideological purpose intended to influence a government or intimidate the public. It also created a system for the government to proscribe organizations judged to be concerned in terrorism and granted police expanded powers of stop, search and detention connected to terrorism investigations. The stop and search powers created by the act have been challenged in later years as lacking sufficient safeguards and as applied beyond their original intended scope.