The unit said the laptop had now been returned to its owner.
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Officers sought to obtain communications between Kermani and a source from Syria who has publicly identified as a member of IS and featured in several of his news reports.
Secunder Kermani, who has reported extensively on western-born fighters who have joined Islamic State, had his equipment seized by police under the Terrorism Act earlier this year, The Independent has revealed.
It would be inappropriate to talk about any ongoing live investigation; however the South East Counter Terrorism Unit (SECTU) regularly conducts investigations where items may need to be examined.
Police have far-reaching powers under Section 32 of the Terrorism Act 2000 which deems any police inquiry into the “commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism” to be termed a “terrorism investigation”.
British police have seized the laptop of a BBC journalist in touch with Islamic State group miliants, by obtaining a court order through using terrorism legislation.
A court order allowing the seizure of a laptop belonging to a Newsnight journalist was not contested by the BBC, police have said.
She added: “If journalists go near something to do with terrorism, the police can use the Terrorism Act [2000] to go after their sources”.
It is understood that there were lengthy negotiations between the BBC and the police force before the court order was made.
“If a journalist can not be sure their sources are safe, then this will no doubt have a chilling effect on expression and the vibrant political debate so necessary in a democratic society”, said Thomas Hughes, executive director of ARTICLE 19. “(Police) should not use it for “fishing” expeditions”.
“How can any potential source, someone who believes that they have information that absolutely should be in the public domain, have any faith that their identity and their future can be safe in any one journalist or newspaper’s hands?”
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It comes after TVP refused to confirm or deny whether it used anti-terrorism laws to spy on journalists.
