Forensic accounting to tackle terrorism

Chancellor Gordon Brown is seeking new Treasury powers to fight terrorism in the UK. He wants to introduce a new terrorism order that will give the Treasury the power to stop funds reaching anyone in the UK suspected of planning terror attacks. He outlined measures that would see covert intelligence used for the first time to seize the assets of terrorist groups.

He said: “There should be no safe haven anywhere in the world for terrorists. Equally there should be no hiding place anywhere for those who finance terrorism.

“I want to set out the framework too that Tony Blair and I have agreed for how our Comprehensive Spending Review will give priority to discharging what is the first task of government – the security and safety of the British people.”

In a speech to the Chatham House foreign affairs think-tank entitled “meeting the terrorist challenge”, he emphasised the role of forensic accounting in tackling terror.

“Forensic accounting has come to be one of today’s most powerful investigative and intelligence tools available in the fight against crime and terrorism.”

Mr Brown concerned that existing powers to freeze the assets of alleged terrorists are not as strong as they should be. He wants to freeze assets based on “closed source evidence where it is necessary to take preventative action to freeze assets” – intelligence which could not be revealed in open court as evidence in any trial.

Mr Brown also continued the debate surrounding control orders, which comes after ministers were defeated over plans to increase the limit to 90 days, outlined in the Terrorism Bill.

He said the Government should consider holding terror suspects for more than 28 days without charge if evidence shows it is necessary.