British MP: Terror suspects will have limited access to the internet and telephone

British Home Secretary Theresa May pledged her commitment to depriving British fighters who hold a dual nationality of their citizenship to curb the dangers ISIS poses towards Western targets, the politician said during the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham today.

“Consolidating their grip on land in Iraq and Syria would mean that the world’s first terrorist state exists close to home from which the terror group could carry out chemical, biological or nuclear weapon attacks against Britain. They have murdered British and American citizens abroad and attracted thousands of foreign fighters,” said May.

It is estimated that 500 British nationals are currently fighting in Iraq and Syria. May said that she has already withdrawn the passports of 25 people in relation to Syria and will continue to use this power. In certain circumstances, the same can be done to fighters with naturalised British citizenship, thanks to the recent Immigration Act.

A Counter-Terrorism Bill, set to be introduced in November, will give even more powers to police, enabling them to seize passports, prevent travel and give themselves time to investigate people they suspect at the border.

Some 103 people have been arrested this year for offences relating to terrorism in Syria. Twenty-four have been charged and five prosecuted. May outlined plans to toughen laws so that preparing and training for terrorism overseas becomes a criminal offence.

Existing Terrorism and Prevention Measures will also be hardened so that suspects – for whom there is evidence of their involvement in terrorism but who cannot be prosecuted – have limited access to the internet, telephone, are prevented from meetings with “named associates” and must be at a certain address for a number of hours each night.

The Home Office has given the counter-terrorism policing budgets extra resources for surveillance. The Charity Commission, Ofcom and universities will face tougher measures when it comes to challenging extremism.

May also pledged to put banning orders and extremist disruption orders in the next Conservative manifesto to deal with radical Islamist preachers.

“Despite the European Court of Human Rights, I’ve kicked a few of them [hate preachers] out of the country,” she told the conference. By her own admission, since 2010 May has prevented more hate preachers coming to the country than any other Home Secretary.