Terrorism and Crime (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2002 (Consolidated text)

Summary

This is the consolidated text of Guernsey's principal counter-terrorism statute, first enacted in 2002 and amended numerous times since. It defines terrorism and related offences, establishes proscribed organisations, creates a legal regime for terrorist property (fund-raising, use, possession, funding arrangements, money laundering), and sets out disclosure obligations, investigative powers, freezing orders and counter-terrorist powers applicable across the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Guernsey, Alderney and Sark).

• Terrorist property offences: Criminalises fund-raising, use, possession and funding arrangements involving terrorist property, and money laundering connected to terrorism.
• Disclosure obligations: Requires non-financial services businesses (section 12) and financial services businesses and their nominated officers (sections 15 and 15A) to disclose knowledge or suspicion of terrorist financing, with penalties for failure to do so (section 15B).
• Failure to prevent terrorist financing: Creates a corporate offence of failing to prevent terrorist financing (section 74A), with associated officer liability (section 74B), relevant to relevant bodies and financial services businesses.
• Freezing and forfeiture powers: Empowers the Committee to make freezing orders over terrorist property and provides for forfeiture of terrorist cash (Schedules 2 to 4).
• Investigative and counter-terrorist powers: Provides for terrorist investigations, cordoned areas, stop and search powers, account monitoring orders, port and border controls, and arrest/search powers in relation to suspected terrorists.
• Cooperation with police: Imposes a duty of cooperation with the police in connection with terrorist financing matters (section 14).

The law applies broadly to all persons and businesses operating in or connected with the Bailiwick of Guernsey, with particular continuing obligations falling on financial services businesses and non-financial services businesses regarding suspicious activity disclosure and prevention of terrorist financing. As a consolidated text, it reflects numerous amending Ordinances and Regulations layered onto the original 2002 Law; the specific commencement dates of individual amendments are noted in the annotations but do not create new forward-looking deadlines for readers.

Key obligations

• Non-financial services businesses must disclose knowledge or suspicion of terrorist financing under section 12.
• Financial services businesses and their nominated officers must disclose knowledge or suspicion of terrorist financing under sections 15 and 15A.
• Persons and businesses must cooperate with the police in relation to terrorist financing matters under section 14.
• Relevant bodies must have adequate procedures to prevent terrorist financing to avoid liability under the failure to prevent terrorist financing offence (section 74A), with officers potentially personally liable under section 74B.
• Businesses subject to account monitoring orders or disclosure orders under Schedules 6 and 7 must comply with the terms of those orders.

Applies to

financial services businesses, non-financial services businesses, proscribed organisations, persons and bodies within the Bailiwick of Guernsey (Guernsey, Alderney and Sark)

Related documents

• Machinery of Government (Transfer of Functions) (Guernsey) Ordinance, 2003 (Consolidated text) amends this document
• Terrorism and Crime (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Regulations, 2007 (Consolidated text) is made under this document
• Handbook on Countering Financial Crime (AML/CFT/CPF) (7 July 2026) is made under this document