This is a new one on me. Did you know that ‘professing to belong to a proscribed organisation’ is a criminal offence?

I only found out when I read about those blokes who’ve been supposedly plotting to kill Gordon Brown and Tony Blair:

Ishaq Kanmi, of Cromwell Street, faces additional charges of belonging or professing to belong to al Qaeda, inviting support for al Qaeda, and dissemination of terrorist publications.

(If this plot to do in Brown and Blair doesn’t turn out to be one of those sad-sacks-fantasising-in-a-pub type plots, like the one to kidnap Leo Blair, I’ll eat this blog.)

Professing to belong to a proscribed organisation? As far as I can see, and as much as you would expect it to be, this law isn’t a recent introduction into the swirling maelstrom of cack-handed chaos that’s characterised British anti-terror legislation since 2001. Apparently, it was introduced in the 70s when the IRA were all the rage.

Still, it’s a blow for fantasists, schizophrenics and brown-skinned blokes just having a joke in the pub. I bet former members of the Gary Glitter fan club are cacking themselves as well.

Update: The measure was in effect as far back as 1974 in Part I of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisons) Act 1974.