Terrorism

The go-to Chambers for complex and high-profile matters, QEB Hollis Whiteman is favoured for these technically challenging and security-sensitive cases.

Overview

QEB Hollis Whiteman has a particularly high level of expertise and experience in prosecuting and defending Terrorism Trials at all stages of the proceedings and in relation to all types of alleged terrorist activity, having undertaken such cases for many years. We are regularly asked to give advice in relation to terrorism-related matters from the investigation stage and have been involved in several government iniquires involving terrorism. This area of practice is extremely sensitive and complex and we are very proud of our reputation for excellence in this field.

Our Experience

Chambers has experience at the highest level in this field.  With a large group of former and current Senior and Junior Treasury Counsel, members have vast expertise specific to this area of law.

Our Barristers have been involved in some of the most significant Terrorism Trials of recent times, including: the prosecution of a mother who took her young son to Syria to live with ISIS; the first successful prosecution based entirely on the distribution of extremist material on the Internet; one of the first terrorist fundraising cases in this country for a terrorist purpose abroad (Chechnya); and the case concerning the highest-ranking Al-Qaeda Operative prosecuted in the UK.

We appear in cases that shape the law; we appeared in the case of R v Gul, in which the Supreme Court considered for the first time the definition of Terrorism in the context of international law and conventions incorporated into domestic law.

We are regularly asked to give terrorism-related advice pre-charge, throughout the criminal process to the Supreme Court and have been involved in several government inquiries involving terrorism, including the Saville inquiry (the Bloody Sunday Inquiry) and The Iraq Inquiry (Chilcot Inquiry).