Hefty fines, prison term for funding terrorism

Manama : His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa yesterday issued a decree stipulating heavy fines and prison terms “no less than 10 years” for engaging in terrorist activity inside or outside the country. 

The Decree-Law 36/2017 issued yesterday amends Article 3 of Decree-Law 4/2001 on the Prevention and Prohibition of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism. 

The revised law proposes a “life imprisonment or a prison sentence of no less than 10 years and a fine of no less than BD100,000 and not more than BD500,000” on operators of terrorism. 

The penalty “shall be inflicted upon everyone who raises, gives or appropriates properties, funds or their revenues to a society, group, organisation, entity or gang that engages in a terrorist activity inside or outside the country, or to one of its members or anyone who carries out any operation for their benefit or provides support or finance by any means and is aware that they engage in a terrorist activity,” paragraph (3-1) of Article 3 of the decree reads. 

 It also further states that the “same penalty shall be inflicted upon any person who collects, gives or allocates property, funds or their proceeds to an individual or a group of individuals who engage in a terrorist activity within or outside the country, or carry out any operation for their benefit, or provide any support or financing by any means, and is aware that they engage in a terrorist activity.”

Same measures are also proposed for on “everyone who receives directly or by way of mediation in any manner whatsoever properties or funds of any kind from any of these organisations with a view to preserving them or exploiting them for their benefit.”

The amendment also clarifies that the attempting to commit any of the above crimes “shall be punishable by the same penalty prescribed for a full crime.”

The changes will be effective a day after its publication in the official Gazette.