A senior High Court judge has ruled that the Government does not have the legislative power to freeze terror suspects’ bank accounts. The government viewed these powers as being key in tackling domestic terrorism.
Commenting on the case, the judge described the freezing of terror suspects’ assets as “another example of an immediate reaction without it being thought through properly — which is rather the pattern with the anti-terrorism measures.” The Treasury has said it will appeal the ruling, and the suspects’ assets will remain frozen pending the outcome.
The case was brought by five British terrorist suspects, who have been charged with no crime but have had their assets frozen. They have denied any links to terrorism, and said the sanctions had a “humiliating and devastating” impact on them.
There are currently 59 people in Britain on the Treasury sanctions list, and The Bank of England has frozen 274 accounts, containing £656,000. Included on this list are jailed radical clerics Abu Hamza and Abu Qatada. £180,000 in cash was found in Abu Qatada’s home during a 2001 raid, and Abu Hamza has made £120,000 on a property transaction despite being in prison.
The government’s asset-freezing powers allowed suspects enough money for basic expenses, and Treasury officials monitored their grocery bills. The men’s solicitors said “[W]e have the madness of civil servants checking Tesco receipts, a child having to ask for a receipt every time it does a chore by running to the shops for a pint of milk and a neighbour possibly committing a criminal offence by lending a lawnmower.”
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was “very disappointed” with the outcome.