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| Down Under |
| Govt bans al-Zarqawi terror group |
| 2005-02-26 |
| The federal government said it had banned terrorist group al-Zarqawi because of its links to assassinations, bloody ambushes and hostage takings in Iraq. The Jordanian-born terrorist mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's network was the 18th organisation to be listed under Australia's counter-terrorism laws, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said in statement. The ban makes it an official criminal offence to be involved in recruitment, training funding and other forms of support for the organisation. Mr Ruddock said the organisation was added to the list on the advice of competent authorities. "The al-Zarqawi network, also known as Tanzim Qa'idat al-Jihad fi Bilad Rafidyan (TQJBR), has been linked to a string of assassinations, bloody ambushes and hostage takings in Iraq including the bombing of the UN headquarters in Baghdad," he said. "It has also claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on Australian troops including a recent attack near the Australian embassy." He said the objective of the group was to overthrow the Iraqi Government, expel multi-national forces and establish an Islamic state under Sharia rule. "Members of listed terrorist organisations are committing a serious criminal offence and face prosecution and penalties of up to 25 years imprisonment," Mr Ruddock said. Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) has assessed that TQJBR is "continuing to prepare, plan and foster the commission of acts involving threats to human life and serious damage to property," the statement said. "Such acts include actions which are to be done and threats of actions which are to be made with the ... intention of coercing or influencing by intimidation of the government and people of numerous countries, including Australia." |
| Posted by:Paul Moloney |