The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) was introduced initially as emergency legislation to counter the real and perceived threat in the escalating war in the North East of Ireland's six counties. Successive British governments have continued to renew the Act, despite criticism from human rights organisations and rulings from the European Convention of Human Rights that the legislation is draconian and breaches several basic human rights set out under the convention.

The situation and political environment, which brought about the Act in the first place, have substantially changed. Sinn Fein ministers now sit in Government and the IRA, the Act's principle target, appear to have put the war behind them. The PTA however has not gone away and in the next few months looks set to be widened. Certain well-known Scottish newspapers have suggested that Siol nan Gaidheal may be included in the wider definition of what the British state describe as "domestic" terrorism. Exactly who will be finally included in this list will be determined by MI5. But contrary to what the Scotsman newspaper suggested, there is currently no evidence to indicate that Siol nan Gaidheal will become a state proscribed organisation.

The broader PTA will give both police and MI5 greater powers of arrest and detention and a wider scope to electronically gather intelligence. The proposals are well open to abuse by the Security Services and it could be possible, as in Siol nan Gaidheal's case, that organisations which are not involved in violence are deemed "terrorist" under the definition laid down by the Act and interpreted by MI5, simply because the organisation is completely opposed to the British state and the continued subjection of our country. It is also possible for any given organisation to find itself deemed "terrorist", in order for the security services to "legally" carry out surveillance of its activities. Theoretically, under the proposals it is possible for thousands of organisations throughout Scotland to come under scrutiny at the whim of a British Intelligence community, which is not exactly known for its "cricketing" attitude to organisations opposed to the establishment.

Since the end of the cold war British Intelligence has been effectively marking time. The massive budgets it used to enjoy have been cut. The war in the North East of Ireland, was the only arena where MI5 could practice and hone its skills and now even that appears to be about to end. The English Home Secretary Jack Straw, the man who is responsible for introducing the new proposals has an ordacity and arrogance which was once thought to be the sole preserve of right-wing Tories. Only weeks after announcing his proposals Straw was then interviewed, along with William Hague, by Radio 4 where Straw stated:

"…The English are potentially very aggressive and very violent. The English have used their propensity towards violence to subjugate Ireland, Wales and Scotland."

Strange then that the "English" are not set to be deemed terrorist under the expanded PTA, despite their known tendencies for using violence against our people. Prosecution under the terms of the PTA would be difficult when you are dealing with a group of people involved in mindless, unrestrained, unorganised violence, like the type that Straw appears to indicate that the English are capable. Naturally this kind of violence is not a threat to British power in our country. Perceived organised violence against British occupation and rule are, and that's why the "English" are not to be included in the new PTA.

The PTA is, and has been the mechanism by which the English can and will continue to subjugate our country through the use of violence. The Act allows for the detention of an individual for up to seven days without access to a lawyer. Anyone who thinks that they will be treated to scones and tea during this detention period, deserve to be locked up. Amnesty International has well documented and proven cases where victims of this state form of terrorism have been systematically beaten and thoroughly interrogated using both physical and psychological torture.

What Straw and the British establishment have failed to recognise is that English nationalism has always been a strong and dominant force. Wherever England has painted a corner of the globe red, it has usually been with the blood of the native, indigenous people which it suppressed with a ruthlessness far exceeding any so-called terrorist act ever perpetrated against it. And yet, the propaganda machine and the associated anti-libertarian legislation have sought to paint the suppressed people as the violent, blood-lusting barbarian.

Currently the Act interprets terrorism as:
Part I, Section (1)

"…The use or threat, for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause, of action which -
(a) involves serious violence against any person or property,
(b) endangers the life of any person, or
(c) creates a serious risk to the health and safety of the public or a section of the public.

(2) In subsection (1) -

(a) "action" includes action taken outside the United Kingdom,
(b) a reference to any person or to property is a reference to any person, or to property, wherever situated, and
(c) a reference to the public includes a reference to the public of a country other than the United Kingdom.

However prosecuting a war in a foreign land against an enemy, less equipped, less in numbers and less experienced in warfare is deemed perfectly acceptable by the British State. Under their own definition the British state itself is a terrorist organisation, and continues to commit terrorist offences every time it engages in a war abroad, whether that be Iraq or the Balkans.

In Ireland, before the cease-fire, loss of life among civilians was condemned as brutal, barbaric, and insane. Loss of life among civilians, when perpetrated by the British State is termed "collateral damage". It is an interesting dichotomy, a minefield of interpretation, where words alone, in the mother of all democracies, can lead you to serving severe and long-term imprisonment and torture by the state.

The PTA is the latest in a long line of state devices used to attack and dominate our country and our people. In the past they have used famine and eviction, carried out a scorched earth policy in every fresh invasion of our land. Tortured and hung dissenting voices against English occupation. Ordered English tanks to move against civilians at the merest hint of popular uprising.

British Unionists are always keen to portray the Union as a marriage between two willing participants. The Unionist preference for using the marriage metaphor is interesting. A more accurate interpretation of that metaphor tells a different story.

The rough wooing technique which England has continuously used against Scotland, was resisted for hundreds of years. Initially Scotland acted like a headstrong young woman, independent, assertive, with a determination to live a little, experience the world. Persistent groping and handling of Scotland by England, the metaphoric, lecherous, slavering dirty old man of Europe continued almost unabated.

After a time England declared his intention to marry, with the Union of the Crowns. Several years of intimidation and the threatened and real use of force resulted in the "marriage" of 1707. The comprehensive abuse of Scotland had really begun. The once dignified nation was made to bend over whilst England carried out his matrimonial rites. Scotland's culture was systematically attacked. She was forbidden to speak her own language, continue her own customs and at one point thrown in the political and culture cellar to starve.

Her sons were used to bleed red a VIP imperial carpet that covered the globe. Her own natural resources were extracted and sold to the highest bidder, and in return she was thrown the cultural and economic equivalent of bread and water. Finally after a long and painful 300 years, she summoned the handful of courage she had left, and demanded the return of power.

England, by this time, bloated and fat on the profits made from Scotland's labours decided to give poor Scotland some "freedom." It would not be the freedom she had once had, as long as England demanded it; she would never have that. Instead England conveyed upon his long suffering and down beaten wife the political equivalent of a newly fitted kitchen. Not real power over the entire household, as she had once known, but enough to stop her winging for a few decades or so. In the meantime England increased security, fitting a new PTA to keep an eye over her. Fearful that the beatings and abuse may continue, Scotland feigned her delight, but her cultural soul wept uncontrollably.

"Serious attacks by women against their husbands and partners have shown a marked increase in the last twenty years, with the rate of attempted and actual murders by women on their male partners almost doubling. …Almost all of these cases involved a previous history of abuse, both physical and psychological, by the male upon the female."

- Central Statistical Office