JURIST - Paper Chase: UK minister renews call for 'glorifying terrorism' offense after cartoons protests

[JURIST] Following angry protests over the Muhammad cartoons [JURIST news archive] by British Muslims in London late last week, UK Home Secretary Charles Clarke [official profile] Tuesday renewed calls for the inclusion of a "glorifying terrorism" offense in the proposed Terrorism Bill [text; Home Office backgrounder] still under consideration by parliament. The glorification offense was recently defeated in the House of Lords [JURIST report], but it is expected that the government will reintroduce the measure to the legislation.

Clarke has been criticized for the failure of police to act against protestors at the Danish embassy in London, some of whom called for the beheading of those involved with the cartoons' publication. One protestor dressed like a suicide bomber, although he was later arrested and returned to prison [Local London report] for violating his parole. Clarke and Downing Street have since indicated that the government would support prosecutions arising from the protests. The Independent has more.

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