IRAQ. PARLIAMENT PASSES ANTI-TERROR LAW

October 4, 2005: Iraqi lawmakers approved the death penalty for anyone financing or “provoking” terrorism. The tough new anti-terrorism law set capital punishment for “those who commit ... terror acts” as well as “those who provoke, plan, finance and all those who enable terrorists to commit these crimes”.
Life imprisonment became the punishment for “whoever intentionally conceals terrorist activity or gives shelter to a terrorist for the purpose of hiding him.''
“We suffer from this terrorism, and at the very least the situation requires a law tough enough to guarantee the safety of the people and government institutions,” said Hussein al-Sadr, a lawmaker from the Iraqi List, headed by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
Of 152 lawmakers present, 147 supported the law. The remaining members of the 275-member house were absent, but it did not appear to be for political reasons. A faction of the ruling Shiite-led coalition walked out of the vote, complaining that the law's concept of terrorism was too broad.
The law adopts a “Western conception ... that anything that hints at terrorism is a terrorist act. Islamic conceptions say that the actual use of violence, not the hinting at it, is terrorism,” said Nadim Eissa, head of the Shiite Al-Fadila Party.
The law defined terrorism as any criminal act against people, institutions or property that “aims to hurt security, stability and national unity and introduce terror, fear or horror among the people and cause chaos.” It also cited “activity threatening to spark sectarian differences or civil war ... including by arming citizens or encouraging or financing their arming.” (Sources: AP, 04/10/2005)