UK treason laws will be updated to cover terrorism and hostile state activity, says Sajid Javid

Home secretary reveals new far-right terror plot foiled as extremism 'sweeps across countries and continents'

Treason laws are to be updated in the UK to cover terrorists and “hostile state activity”, the home secretary has announced.

Following calls for the ancient crime to be updated to cover returning jihadis who have proven hard to prosecute under existing terror offences, Sajid Javid said: “Our definition of terrorism is probably broad enough to cover those who betray our country by supporting terror abroad.

“But if updating the old offence of treason would help us counter hostile state activity, then there is merit in considering that too.”

The proposals are part of a new Espionage Bill being drawn up in the wake of the novichok attacks in Salisbury.

Mr Javid said there were “real gaps in current legislation” and that the government was considering a form of “foreign agent” registration like that used in the US.

The American law requires people who represent foreign powers in a “political or quasi-political capacity” to disclose their relationship and information on their activities and finances.

“We have to ensure that we have the necessary powers to meet the current and evolving threats to the UK, both domestically and overseas,” Mr Javid said, saying the issue should be a “post-Brexit priority”.

“The Espionage Bill will bring together new and modernised powers giving our security services the authority they need to tackle this threat.”

Calls for an updated treason law increased after the UK abandoned efforts to prosecute two alleged members of the Isis “Beatles” cell and stripped Shamima Begum and others of their citizenship to prevent their return.

Former home secretary Amber Rudd, ex-MI5 chief Lord Evans and former Lord Chief Justice are among supporters of a new law.

A paper drawn up by the Policy Exchange think-tank last year suggested defining treason as “aiding a hostile state of organisation” with a new act of parliament.

The report set out a series of actions that could be deemed treason, including helping prepare or commit an attack on the UK, aiding the military or intelligence operations of a state or organisation intending to attack the UK or “prejudicing the security and defence of the UK”.

At the time, the government said it had no plans to change the law or go beyond new offences in the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act.

That introduced new offences that made it illegal to click on terrorist propaganda, make “reckless” expressions of support for banned groups, or enter designated areas abroad without a “legitimate reason”.

In his speech in central London on Monday, Mr Javid confirmed that the government was considering outlawing travel to parts of Syria – including the rebel enclave of Idlib – and West Africa.

“The police and security services have worked tirelessly to identify those intending to travel overseas and join Isis,” he said.

“They have seized passports at the border and prevented them from leaving the country.

“And along with concerned friends, families and public-sector colleagues, they have directed hundreds of at-risk individuals to support our Prevent programmes to turn them away from terrorism ... despite this impressive work, the tempo of terrorist activity is increasing.”

Mr Javid revealed that a new far-right terror plot had been foiled.

He said that in total 19 plots – 14 Islamist and five extreme right-wing – had been foiled since the Westminster attack in March 2017.

A total of 30 planned attacks were successfully disrupted in the four years before, and security services have warned of an increased tempo of plots amid record terror investigations.

“Globalisation and the indiscriminate nature of terror means that we are all potential victims,” the home secretary warned, pointing out that more Britons were killed in the Sri Lanka bombings than the London Bridge attack.

“We have seen how quickly dangerous ideologies, from Islamism to extreme populism and nationalism, can sweep across countries and continents.”