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The new Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance brands the Students Islamic Movement of India, Deendar Anjuman, most Kashmiri and northeast militant outfits and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as terrorist organisations and makes support to them an offence.
The militant outfits operating in Kashmir, which have been listed as terrorist organisations, are the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, Pasban-e-Ahle Hadis, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Tahrik-e-Fuqran, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, Harkat-ul-Ansar, Harkat-ul-jehad-e-Islami, Hizbul Mujahideen, Pir Panjal Regiment, Al-Umar-Mujahideen and J&K Islamic Front.
The northeastern militant outfits, which fall under the category of terrorist outfits, are United Liberation Front of Assam, National Democratic Front of Bodoland, People's Liberation Army, United National Liberation Front, People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak, Kangleipak Communist Party, Kanglei Yaol Kanba Lup, Manipur People's Liberation Front, All Tripura Tiger Force and National Liberation Front of Tripura.
The almost-defunct militant outfits of Punjab also figure in the list of terrorist organisations. They are Babbar Khalsa International, Khalistan Commando Force, Khalistan Zindabad Force and International Sikh Youth Federation.
Chapter III of the Ordinance deals with the terrorist organisations and Section 20 says, "A person commits an offence if he belongs or professes to belong to a terrorist organisation."
"A person guilty of an offence under Section 18 shall be liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding ten years or with fine or with both," it said.
Section 21 of the Ordinance goes even further and says a person would be committing an offence if he invites support for a terrorist organisation, organises meeting to support such an organisation or organises a meeting to be addressed by persons who belong to the terrorist organisations.
This act also would invite similar punishment as provided under Section 20. Section 21 clarifies that a "meeting" as given in this section need not necessarily be a public meeting.
Section 22 provides that "a person commits an offence if he invites another to provide money or other property and intends that it should be used, or has reasonable cause to suspect that it may be used, for the purpose of terrorism".
An offence under this Section would invite a maximum sentence of 14 years on conviction.
PTI
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