PJCIS supports relisting of four terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code

THE  Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has tabled its report by statement on the Review of the 2022 relisting of four organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code.

The relistings cover Al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Islamic State in Libya (IS-Libya) and Islamic State Sinai Province (IS-Sinai).

The four organisations have all been listed as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code since 2016 or earlier. The listing of the organisations, made by regulations tabled in Parliament, triggers the application of a number of offences under the Criminal Code relating to membership of, support for or association with the organisations.

The committee said all four organisations sought to revive or re-establish a caliphate within the territories they operate in and seek to do so through a militant jihadist ideology and fomentation of sectarian violence. All four organisations have expressed sentiments against Australian allies and interests, the committee said.

According to the committee, AQAP is a Yemen-based religiously motivated violent extremist group which, since its establishment in 2009, has undertaken numerous terrorist and criminal activities. A recognised affiliate of al-Qa’ida, AQAP has undertaken, attempted to conduct attacks and advocated for the undertaking of terrorist attacks within Yemen and internationally, including praising attacks against Australia’s allies.

Based primarily in Pakistan, AQIS is an al-Qa’ida-affiliated religiously motivated violent extremist organisation, which seeks to advance al-Qa’ida’s objectives in South Asia. AQIS currently recruits from Muslim communities across South Asia, with its leadership based in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As an officially recognised affiliate of Islamic State, IS-Libya is a religiously motivated violent extremist organisation that has undertaken terrorist attacks and kidnappings against police and military personnel in North Africa, resulting in multiple deaths. Since its re-listing in 2019, IS Libya has undertaken multiple attacks including bombing of a police checkpoint and attacks on Libyan National Army soldiers. 

Based on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, IS-Sinai is a religiously motivated violent extremist group located in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and is officially recognised by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Since its last re-listing in 2019, IS-Sinai has undertaken multiple attacks including against the Egyptian government, detonation of a gas pipeline and killing civilians and Egyptian soldiers through use of explosive devices.

Chair of the committee, Peter Khalil MP, said, "Based on information provided, it is the view of the committee that the appropriate processes have been followed and that the four organisations meet the threshold for re-listing as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code."

Further information on the review can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

 

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