Northern Ireland Office

The Northern Ireland Office today released Research and Statistical Bulletin 10/2009 entitled ‘Northern Ireland Statistics on the Operation of the Terrorism Act 2000: Annual Statistics 2008’. The Bulletin provides key Northern Ireland specific Terrorism Act statistics for the calendar year 2008.

The main points reported by the Research and Statistical Bulletin are:

During 2008:

· There were 59 designated cordons under section 33.

· Under section 37, Schedule 5, there were 108 premises searched under warrant by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

· There were 150 persons detained under section 41 of the Act, 125 (83%) of whom were held for 48 hours or less.

· There were 24 applications for extensions of detention, all of which were granted.

· Twenty-eight persons were charged with 60 offences including 6 persons charged with murder, 20 firearms offences and 4 explosives offences.

· Six persons were charged with 7 Terrorism Act offences including 3 for possession for terrorist purposes, 2 offences under section 15 (fundraising) and 2 offences for membership.

· There were 54 requests to have someone informed of detention, all of which were granted immediately.

· There were 148 requests for access to a solicitor, 147 of which were granted immediately.

· Under section 44, there were 6,922 persons, and 6,016 vehicles stopped and searched during 2008.

· Under section 80, of the 28 persons sentenced for a scheduled offence none had committed the offence during a period of remission from prison.

· There was 1 requisition order and 5 de-requisition orders made during 2008.

· Compensation payments (including solicitors’ and loss assessors’ fees and Agency payments) totalled £129,689.

Further information can be obtained from NIO Statistics and Research Branch, Massey House, Stormont Estate, Belfast BT4 3SX; (Telephone 028 9052 7534).

NOTES TO EDITORS

Official Statistics are produced to high professional standards set out in the Official Statistics Code of Practice. They undergo regular quality assurance reviews to ensure that they meet customer needs. They are produced free from any political interference. They are also subject to restrictions in terms of pre-release access.