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Participation and cooperation in training for terrorism Act
Anyone who participates in training for terrorism and acquires the knowledge or the skills needed to carry out an attack is guilty of a serious criminal offence. If the objective is to carry out attacks in the Netherlands it should be possible to bring criminal charges, even if the training itself takes place abroad.
The Act proposes a number of changes to criminal legislation and to several other Acts resulting from measures announced previously, as well as motions adopted by the House of Representatives. With this Act the government is not only meeting commitments made to the House, but also taking into account international developments and requirements arising from legal practice.
Training people for terrorist purposes will become an offence. The background to this Act is article 7 of the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, agreed at Warsawin May 2005, which requires all Parties to make ‘training for terrorism’ a criminal offence under their domestic law. Participation and cooperation in training for terrorism both attract a maximum term of imprisonment of eight years. Both these changes are important for the fight against terrorism, the main priority of which is preventing attacks.
The Actl also expands the scope for removing someone from their profession, as an additional punishment and for a fixed period, if they are misusing their position by inciting or encouraging hatred or violence, insulting a group of people or recruiting for an armed struggle. It is very important that those in positions of authority who exert a great deal of influence on others exercise their responsibility in accordance with the law, particularly when making public statements. They must certainly not make comments deserving of punishment. Removal from a profession can be imposed by the courts as an additional punishment in the case of both first-time and repeat offenders.
There will also be increased scope for removal from a profession as part of criminal proceedings in the financial and economic field. Financial and economic crime causes considerable damage to society and undermines vital trust in trade. Increasing the scope to order removal from a profession in the case of financial and economic crime is therefore desirable: directors of businesses also need to act responsibly. Under the new Act, this measure could be imposed in cases involving forgery, withholding information in the case of bankruptcy and disadvantaging creditors and claimants.
