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Portuguese gov't approves new measures to combat terrorism

Xinhua, February 20, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Portuguese government approved eight draft laws on Thursday as part of the country's National Strategy for Combating Terrorism, Portuguese Lusa News Agency reported.

Glorification of terrorism, travelling to adhere to terrorist groups and accessing internet sites which incite this phenomenon will be considered crimes under the new measures approved.

Minister of Internal Administration Anabela Rodrigues said that the National Strategy for Combating Terrorism represented a "commitment of mobilization, coordination and cooperation of all national structures," following a cabinet meeting earlier in the day.

Minister of Justice Paula Teixeira Cruz said that public condoning of terrorist acts consisted in "compensating or praising someone for the practice of terrorist acts in public meetings or through social communication," adding that the penalty would be more severe if the apologia was done via the internet.

She explained that it was a criminal act to "travel or try to travel to a different territory to where the person resides or from where they are nationals, with the intention to receive training, give training or provide logistic support to those who practice terrorist acts or to adhere to a terrorist group."

Teixeira Cruz added that the exclusive competence of the criminal police would be extended to the scope of investigation of these new crimes, and that the punishment for these terrorist acts could range between 3 and 20 years.

Concern over terrorism has escalated in Europe following several attacks in France last month, at the Charlie Hebdo magazine and at a Jewish supermarket.

Portugal's Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho has called for "coordination of means and cooperation of forces" to combat global terrorism and held a meeting at parliament with all parties last month. Endit