Abu Dhabi: The list of designated terrorist organisations was set up in accordance with the UAE’s Anti-Terror Law, endorsed by President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in August. The law authorised the government to issue a list of groups designated by the UAE as terrorist organisations, which makes it a criminal offence for any individual or group that communicates with them, engage in their activities, or provide support of any means.
“Whoever seeks or communicates with a foreign state, terrorist organisation or with anyone who works for their interests, to commit any terrorist act, shall be punished with imprisonment for life while the death penalty will be imposed if the terrorist act has been carried out,” the law says.
Convicted terrorists will face capital punishment, life imprisonment and fines of up to Dh100 million, according to the new anti-terrorist legislation.
It defines a terrorist offence as “any action or inaction made a crime by this law and every action or inaction made a crime by any other law if they are carried out for a terrorist cause”.
A terrorist intent is established by a direct or indirect terrorist result or when an offender knows that the action or inaction leads, in its nature or context, to terrorist results.
Terrorist results include inciting fear among a group of people, killing them, or causing them serious physical injury, or inflicting substantial damage to property or the environment, or disrupting security of the international community, or opposing the country, or influencing the public authorities of the country or another country or international organisation while discharging its duties, or receiving a privilege from the country or another country or an international organisation, according to the draft law.
Under the law, the Cabinet will also establish counselling centres where convicted terrorists will receive intensive religious and welfare counselling in jails in a programme targeted against future threats posed by those holding extremist views.
A committee to be named The National Committee for Combating Terrorism will be established, and a decision towards its establishment will be made by the Cabinet.
