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Proceeding contribution from Lord Dearing (Crossbench) in the House of Lords on Tuesday, 17 January 2006. It occurred during Debate on bill on Terrorism Bill 2005-06.


Terrorism Bill

My Lords, I have two questions. First, I am interested in Clause 2(1)(d), which has to do with providing a service to others, which, in a library, of course, includes access to a computer. I would be astonished if, on the world-wide web, there is not a good deal of information and material that would be useful to a terrorist or would encourage terrorism. Would the librarian be in any way vulnerable for allowing students unrestricted access to a computer? Secondly, and more specifically, there is a book by Bruce Lawrence, Messages to the World: The Statements of Osama Bin Laden, priced £10.99, newly translated from the Arabic original, and annotated with a critical introduction by Islamic scholar Bruce Lawrence, placing the statements in their religious, historical and political context. Now, let us suppose that a student, on the recommendation of a lecturer, obtained a copy through the library, and committed a terrorist act. If, on investigating, police found a copy of that book in the student’s bedroom, would the university, its librarian or its lecturer be at any risk? I ask this question because I think it is so important that these people, who, like me, are not lawyers, and have a job to do, know precisely where they stand.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
677 c565-6 
Session
2005-06
Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamber
Subjects
Databases ICT Incitement Exemptions Libraries Internet Higher education Organised crime Publications Sales Terrorism Surveillance Telecommunications British Library Encouragement of terrorism
Legislation
Terrorism Bill 2005-06
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk