Bill’s in: 180 days no bail, Naxals also ‘terrorists’

WITH the chorus for tough anti-terror laws growing after the Mumbai terror strikes, the Government today introduced two Bills providing for a National Investigating Agency (NIA) to probe terror cases across the country and proposing deterrent provisions like detention without bail up to 180 days and up to life imprisonment for those involved in terror acts. For foreign nationals accused, detention can be indefinite.

The NIA Bill, 2008 and the Unlaw ful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Bill, 2008, tabled by Home Minister P Chidambaram in the Lok Sabha a day after the Cabinet cleared the measures, extend definition of terrorism to militancy, insurgency and Naxal extremism.

The NIA Bill empowers the agency at the Central level to probe terrorism and crimes with national ramifications such as challenges to the country’s sovereignty and integrity, bomb blasts, hijacking of aircraft and ships and attacks on nuclear installations.

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