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SCMP Reporter

The property of terrorists, as well as their funds, could be frozen by the authorities when new laws are introduced to combat terrorism.

Freezing of funds was tackled in the first stage of the process in July last year, in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the US.

At the Legco security panel yesterday, Margaret Chan Cheng Wan-yuk, Principal Assistant Secretary for Security, said the government would amend the United Nations (Anti-Terrorism Measures) Ordinance to empower the Secretary for Security to freeze property, should there be reasonable grounds to suspect it belonged to a terrorist.

Terrorist attacks by means of explosives or other lethal devices will be criminalised.

The Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance will be amended to allow extradition of offenders.

And unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation, and of fixed platforms for the purpose of exploration of resources, are to be criminalised.

It is also proposed that law enforcement agencies be enabled to require people to furnish information or produce materials,  subject to judicial authorisation.

Mrs Chan said a hiccup in the first-stage legislation - when a provision seeking to ban terrorist recruitment was unexpectedly defeated - would be tackled again in the proposed amendments.

Though the Security Bureau later tabled a new clause and it was subsequently approved, it was criticised by pro-democracy lawmakers as imposing criminal liabilities on the innocent.

Legislator Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, who represents the legal sector, said the area of further legislation should not be too restricted.

'The legislation was passed in haste last time. We cannot tackle problems left over from the first-stage legislation if the scope of the bill is too narrow,' she said.



Bid to allow freezing of terrorists' property