Five terror organisations re-listed
The Australian Federal Government has re-listed Al-Shabaab, Hamas’ Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades, Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad as ‘terrorist organisations’ under the country’s Criminal Code.
Senator George Brandis
The organisations remain listed because they continue to directly or indirectly engage in, prepare, plan, assist in, foster or advocate the doing of terrorist acts.
Al-Shabaab was first listed as a terrorist organisation in Australia from August 2009, Kurdistan Workers’ Party from December 2005, Palestinian Islamic Jihad from May 2004 and Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and Lashkar-e Tayyiba from November 2003.
A statement for Attorney-General Senator George Brandis declares: “It is a criminal offence to direct the activities of, be a member of, recruit for, or participate in training with these organisations. It is also a criminal offence to get funds to, from or for, provide support to, and associate with, the members of these organisations.
Participation in any of these activities could result in imprisonment of up to 25 years.”
These groups have been listed by like-minded countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and New Zealand.
An organisation is listed as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code when the Attorney-General is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the organisation is directly or indirectly engaged in, preparing, planning, assisting in or fostering the doing of a terrorist act or advocates the doing of a terrorist act.
