LUXEMBOURG (AFP) -
EU justice ministers on Friday agreed to criminalise incitement of acts of terrorism, including using the Internet for recruiting purposes.
The 27 EU member states agreed to introduce as new offences "public provocation to commit a terrorist offence, recruitment, and training for terrorism" which would be punishable "also when committed through the Internet".
"The amendment is well-balanced in terms of its effects on freedom of speech and general respect for human rights," the justice ministers, meeting in Luxembourg, said in a joint statement.
Individuals "disseminating terrorist propaganda and bomb-making expertise through the Internet can therefore be prosecuted and sentenced to prison," if that is deemed to be provocation to commit terrorist offences.
The new legislation "will make it easier for law enforcement authorities to get cooperation from Internet service providers, to prevent crimes and identify criminals," the justice ministers said.
"It aims to equip our legal systems across the EU with the adequate tools to bring to justice the criminals who spread violent propaganda providing terrorism tactics and instructions on how to manufacture and use bombs or explosives to provoke others to commit terrorist acts."
The EU's counter-terrorism coordinator Gilles de Kerchove said last week that some 5,000 Internet sites "contribute to radicalising young people in Europe".
Germany has put forward a proposal to set up a Europol Internet surveillance committee to tackle the problem.
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