A bid to temporarily block the banning of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation is set to be heard at the High Court on Friday, ahead of a potential legal challenge against the move.
Huda Ammori, the co-founder of Palestine Action, is seeking to bring a legal challenge against the Home Office over Home Secretary Yvette Cooper’s decision to proscribe the group under the Terrorism Act 2000.
The motion could become law as early as this weekend once it has been signed off by Ms Cooper, which would make membership of, or support for, the direct action group a criminal offence punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
The move was announced after two Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20, an incident claimed by Palestine Action, which police said caused around £7 million worth of damage.
At a hearing on Friday, Mr Justice Chamberlain is due to decide whether to grant “interim relief” to Ms Ammori, which would temporarily block the legislation from coming into effect at midnight on Saturday as currently planned.
The hearing is due to begin at 10.30am at the Royal Courts of Justice, with a further hearing to decide whether Ms Ammori will be given the green light to challenge the Government’s decision expected to be held later in July.
Ms Cooper announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action on June 23, stating that the vandalism of the two planes was “disgraceful” and that the group had a “long history of unacceptable criminal damage”.
MPs in the Commons voted 385 to 26, majority 359, in favour of proscribing the group on Wednesday, before the House of Lords backed the move without a vote on Thursday.
Four people – Amy Gardiner-Gibson, 29, Jony Cink, 24, Daniel Jeronymides-Norie, 36, and Lewis Chiaramello, 22 – have all been charged in connection with the incident.
They appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after being charged with conspiracy to enter a prohibited place knowingly for a purpose prejudicial to the safety or interests of the United Kingdom, and conspiracy to commit criminal damage, under the Criminal Law Act 1977.
They were remanded into custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on July 18.
Counter Terrorism Policing South East said on Wednesday that a 41-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender had been released on bail until September 19, and a 23-year-old man who was arrested has been released without charge.
