MP's Gaza tweet reported to police for 'encouragement of terrorism'
David Ward, the Liberal Democrat MP for Bradford East, has been reported to the police over a Twitter post he made last night.
Ward, who has already come under fire from his own party over his views on the Israel/Palestine conflict, posted on the social media site last night "The big question is - if I lived in #Gaza would I fire a rocket? - probably yes"
Conservative party MP Nadhim Zahawi revealed today he had written to the head of the Metropolitan police, Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, reporting Ward for under Section 1 (2) of the Terrorism Act 2006.
The act makes it a criminal offence to: "Make a statement that is likely to be understood by some or all of the members of the public to whom it is published as a direct or indirect encouragement or other inducement to them to the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism."
In the letter Zahawi states: "Freedom of speech is an important right, but it is not an unqualified one..Mr Ward’s tweets would appear to be prima facie evidence that he has committed the offence of encouragement of terrorism."
On Radio 5 Live this morning Ward defended his remark and denied supporting the rocket attacks on Israel, saying: "The comment was about understanding why people are firing rockets. I am not condoning that. In fact, yesterday in the House of Commons I condemned it. I’m saying I understand why people are so desperate that they are doing it."
The last use of the 2006 terrorism act over publication was the case of Regina v Faraz where a Birmingham bookseller was convicted for "disseminating ‘terrorist publications".
The court of appeal later overthrew the conviction under article 10 of the European Human Rights Act which guarantees freedom of expression.
However the potential extension of the controversial "encouraging of terrorism" provisions of the act to social media posts about the ongoing Gaza conflict has worried many, with one tweeter saying: "The tories have become the thought police" while another added "I think someone needs to define terrorism first."