Australia declares Hezbollah, US-based Neo-Nazi group as 'terrorist organisations'

Australia on Wednesday declared the entirety of Hezbollah, the hardline Islamist militancy group that also operates as a Shiite political party in Lebanon, and the United States’ originated The Base, a neo-Nazi, white supremacist, and paramilitary hate group, as "terrorist organisations". The Iran-backed armed rebel faction holds considerable power across Beirut and opposes Israel and Western powers operating in the Middle East. "There is no place in Australia for their hateful ideologies,” Australian Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said, adding that the Australian government has “zero tolerance” for violence, and there is no cause – religious or ideological – that can justify killing innocent people. 

Tehran-backed Shiite group "continues to threaten terrorist attacks and provide support to terrorist organisations" and “poses a real and credible threat to Australia,” Andrews said, according to the official press release issued by the Australian Ministry of Home Affairs. The decision was made by Canberra’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison in order to keep the Australians safe from terrorism and violent extremism, the home ministry said.

“We cannot be complacent,” Andrews said, adding that Morrison's government is committed to ensuring Australia has legislation in place to combat the enduring threat of terrorism.

She further expressed concerns about recent events in the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and elsewhere around the world, where instances of terrorist attacks have drastically risen. 

Violent extremist groups stain on Australia's 'rich cultural fabric'; 'our nation’s character is better off for it'

As she announced the 'terrorist' designation for The Base and Hezbollah, the Australian minister stressed that Australia is a nation of "rich cultural background"  built on a broad fabric of many and varied experiences and cultures, and "our nation’s character is better off for it." Further, she stressed that violent extremist groups such as these are a stain on that rich cultural fabric, and there's no place in Australia for their "hateful ideologies.” Hizballah’s External Security Organisation has been a listed terrorist organisation in Canberra since 2003.

Australia declared the faction as a terrorist organisation in its entirety, stating that the group continues to threaten terrorist attacks and provides support to terrorist organisations such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. The Base, meanwhile, is currently proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the Governments of Canada and the United Kingdom (UK) and is known to have organised paramilitary training camps overseas.

UK adds Hamas to terror list 

Last week, the UK announced that it was declaring the Palestinian militant Islamist group Hamas that has been leading a resistance movement by waging an armed confrontation against Israel as a terrorist organisation.  In an effort to combat antisemitism, UK’s home secretary Priti Patel told the British press that supporters of Hamas, anyone that shows inclination towards their flag, or those that seek to hold a meeting with the Islamic hardline faction now risk up to ten years of imprisonment. The Boris Johnson administration proscribed the militant group under the Terrorism Act. An official announcement will be made by the British government. Thus far, the UK has imposed a ban on the military wing of Hamas known as the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades led by Mohammed Deif and its deputy, Marwan Issa.