On 27 November 2019, the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security commenced a review of regulations re-listing al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa’ida in the Indian Subcontinent, Islamic State in Libya and Islamic State Sinai Province as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (the Criminal Code).
Section 102.1A of the Criminal Code provides that the Committee may review a regulation which lists an organisation as a terrorist organisation and report its comments and recommendations to each House of the Parliament before the end of the applicable 15 sitting day disallowance period.
For an organisation to be listed as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code, the Minister for Home Affairs must be satisfied on reasonable grounds that the organisation meets the following legislative criteria:
- 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.
The effect of these regulations is that these organisations are confirmed as terrorist organisations for the purposes of offences listed in Division 102 of the Criminal Code. For example, directing the activities of a terrorist organisation or recruiting persons to a terrorist organisation.
Details of the re-listings can be found at the following links:
Report tabled
On Wednesday, 5 February 2020 the Committee tabled a report by statement into the review. A copy of the statement is available below.
Report by statement on the review of the re-listing of four organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code.