Law and terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Law and terrorism - Essay Example This paper will critically discuss the present UK legislative framework governing the gathering of covert intelligence on terrorist suspects and the necessary safeguards to ensure that ensure that police and security services do not violate the civil liberties of suspected individual. Covert Operations Perhaps, it can be said that the best covert intelligence operation was the operation Neptune Spear/Geronimo which launched the attack of Osama Bin Laden’s safe house in Bilal town of Abbottbad, Pakistan at around 1:00 a.m. (Listverse, 2011, p. 1). US Navy Seals breached through the high walls of Bin Ladin’s safe house using explosives whilst airborne US special operations command, also known as Night Stalkers were on board Black Hawk Helicopters and two Chinooks as backups (Listverse, 2011, p. 1). The SEALS found Bin Laden on the third floor and shoot him on his head and chest. Osama’s dead body was brought to Afghanistan for identification and buried at sea withi n 24 hours of his death (Listverse, 2011, p. 1). ... e result, have also seen the necessity to define and refine the country’s covert intelligence operation framework of its security forces using the statutes stipulated under the Regulations of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) (Home Office, 2013, p. 1; Gov.uk, 2013). This has been considered as the Home Office guidance to local authorities in England and Wales on the judicial approval process for RIPA and the crime threshold of surveillance (Home Office, 2013, p. 1; Gov.uk, 2013) RIPA defined the framework of the government’s covert investigatory techniques as authored by public authorities (Legislation.gov.uk, 2013, p. 1). The framework in itself does not customized such power to execute covert activities but if these activities are undertaken by the council officers, RIPA limits, control and regulate the manner on how covert intelligence gathering are undertaken to ascertain that this is consistent to the Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) t hat mandates security forces to respect the private and family life of the suspects (Legislation.gov.uk, 2013, p. 1). Under RIPA, the local authorities limited the local authorities on using three covert techniques to prevent untoward incidences by early detection and monitoring of disorder (Legislation.gov.uk, 2013, p. 1). This security mechanism authorized designated persons on significant issues that may cause social harm and disorder but require such essential balance of proportionate care that the covert intelligence operation and intrusion, to gather information, will not seriously violate the right of privacy of a person on the bases of unfounded allegations or suspicion (Legislation.gov.uk, 2013, p. 1). Ethical code of covert operations refines further the scope of powers on necessary