The independent reviewer of UK terrorism laws, Max Hill QC, has described his meeting with representatives of advocacy group CAGE on his personal blog.
Mr Hill has been criticised by the right-wing media for meeting with CAGE but defended his position saying that: “Successive Governments have taken the view that there are some organisations with which any engagement is inappropriate, and CAGE certainly falls within that category. That is of course a matter for government and it is neither my place nor would it be appropriate for me to pass judgement on their stance.”
Mr Hill Said it was his role to “engage with anymore who is affected in any way by the (counter terror) legislation,” adding that CAGE states it aims to “empower communities impacted by the War on Terror.”
The meeting came days after he received criticism from the media for suggesting “naïve” militants returning from Syria should reintegrated into the UK instead of facing prosecution.
However, Hill denied the meeting lent CAGE credibility, saying: “As the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation, it is my duty and within my remit to engage with anyone who is affected in any way by the legislation. This not only helps inform my annual review of the legislation but also informs my wider contextual understanding of how our laws apply generally to society.”
He concluded that “engagement does not mean endorsement,” adding: “My own views will be reflected in my annual reports, the first of which will I hope be published by the end of this year.”
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