Bootylicious and Seditious
SECURITY agencies have revealed that sedition offences in the new anti-terror laws are primarily designed to curb the use of the internet and books to promote terrorism.
The written explanations came after senators examining the new laws told the agencies they could be forced to recommend the sedition offences be dumped in the face of overwhelming evidence they were unnecessary.
The new laws seek to make it an offence to urge a group of people to use force or violence against another group of people.
"The best legal advice we have to the committee is that there is no conduct that they would catch that is not already caught," Liberal senator George Brandis told a witness appearing before the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee last week.
"It is difficult for the committee to come to a recommendation other than that which the majority of submissions has come to," fellow Liberal Brett Mason told Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner John Lawler.
In a response this week, Mr Lawler said the Criminal Code did not clearly outlaw publications promoting terrorism. "There is no clear offence in the Criminal Code for possessing, publishing, importing or selling publications, recruitment pamphlets and videos that advocate terrorism," he said.
The drafter of the laws, Attorney-General's Department assistant secretary Geoff McDonald, said sedition had become a more relevant offence with the growth of the internet.
"The web and computer technology has made it much easier to disseminate material that urges violence, in much the same way government has recognised that it has made child porn easier to disseminate," Mr McDonald said.
He used the example of a website teaching people how to shoot foreigners in Jakarta.
"It may be that some of the people who gave testimony to the committee may not be as in touch as the law enforcement and security and intelligence agencies are in understanding the penetration of the web among young people," Mr McDonald said.END
How to shoot foreigners in Indonesia... Mmm. See following post.
The written explanations came after senators examining the new laws told the agencies they could be forced to recommend the sedition offences be dumped in the face of overwhelming evidence they were unnecessary.
The new laws seek to make it an offence to urge a group of people to use force or violence against another group of people.
"The best legal advice we have to the committee is that there is no conduct that they would catch that is not already caught," Liberal senator George Brandis told a witness appearing before the Senate legal and constitutional affairs committee last week.
"It is difficult for the committee to come to a recommendation other than that which the majority of submissions has come to," fellow Liberal Brett Mason told Australian Federal Police deputy commissioner John Lawler.
In a response this week, Mr Lawler said the Criminal Code did not clearly outlaw publications promoting terrorism. "There is no clear offence in the Criminal Code for possessing, publishing, importing or selling publications, recruitment pamphlets and videos that advocate terrorism," he said.
The drafter of the laws, Attorney-General's Department assistant secretary Geoff McDonald, said sedition had become a more relevant offence with the growth of the internet.
"The web and computer technology has made it much easier to disseminate material that urges violence, in much the same way government has recognised that it has made child porn easier to disseminate," Mr McDonald said.
He used the example of a website teaching people how to shoot foreigners in Jakarta.
"It may be that some of the people who gave testimony to the committee may not be as in touch as the law enforcement and security and intelligence agencies are in understanding the penetration of the web among young people," Mr McDonald said.END
How to shoot foreigners in Indonesia... Mmm. See following post.
posted by professor rat at 6:39 AM
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