Canada puts 13 more groups on terrorist list

The Canadian government has added 13 new groups as terrorist entities bringing the number of groups listed under the Criminal Code to 73. Canadian law mandates severe penalties for individuals and organizations that deal with the property or finances of a listed organization. In addition, organizations that are connected to listed groups may lose their charitable status and lose tax benefits. Beyond that, people seeking entry into Canada may be denied if they are associated with a listed entity, and listing makes it easier to remove the entity’s online content.

Once an entity is on the list, banks and financial institutions freeze its assets. It becomes a crime to knowingly deal with these assets. And certain activities in support of listed groups are outlawed. This include activities related to terrorist travel, training and recruitment.

In announcing the newly listed terrorist entities, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said “violent acts of terrorism have no place in Canadian society or abroad.” (CBC)

Included are ideologically motivated extremist groups

The newly listed groups include four ideologically motivated extremist groups: Atomwaffen Division, the Base, the Proud Boys and Russian Imperial Movement. The other are:

• three Al Qaida affiliates: Jama’at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimin, Front de Libération du Macina, and Ansar Dine 
• five Daesh affiliates: Islamic State West Africa Province, Islamic State in the Greater Sahara, Islamic State in Libya, Islamic State East Asia, and Islamic State – Bangladesh 
• Hizbul Mujahideen

Once an entity is listed, the government is required to review each entity every five years to see whether it should stay on the list. The following seven entities have been recently assessed and will remain. They are  Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent, Al Shabaab, Islamic State – Khorasan Province, Al-Ashtar Brigades, and Fatemiyoun Division. 

“Violent acts of terrorism have no place in Canadian society or abroad,” said Bill Blair, Minister of putlic Safety and Emergy Preparedness. “Today’s additions to the Criminal Code list of terrorist entities are an important step in our effort to combat violent extremism in all forms. Canadians expect their Government to keep them safe and to keep pace with evolving threats and global trends, such as the growing threat of ideologically motivated violent extremism. The Government of Canada will continue to take appropriate actions to counter terrorist threats to Canada, its citizens and its interests around the world.”