The Intelligence and Security Committee has recommended the government consider listing Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 14 October 2021

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has recommended the government consider listing Hamas in its entirety as a terrorist organisation. The PJCIS today tabled its report on the Review of the relisting of five organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code. This review considered the relisting of al-Shabaab, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). While the Committee supported the relisting of all these organisations under the Criminal Code it has gone a step further, recommending the government expand the listing of Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades to include the whole organisation of Hamas. The Committee made a similar recommendation in June 2021 in its Report on the review of the relisting of Hizballah’s External Security Organisation as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code that the listing of Hizballah’s External Security Organisation be expanded to the whole organisation of Hizballah. Committee Chair Senator James Paterson, said that it was clear from evidence received during this review that the whole organisation of Hamas met the definition of a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code. 'Currently, the US, Canada and the EU list the whole organisation of Hamas as a terrorist organisation under their respective proscription regimes. 'The expert evidence provided to the committee overwhelmingly rejected the idea that Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades operates independently from the rest of the organisation. There was agreement that Hamas operates as a singular entity with overlapping personnel, finances and structure. In addition, leaders of Hamas have repeatedly made statements which meet the advocacy test for terrorist listing, including direct incitement of acts of violence against Jewish people,' Senator Paterson said. Further information on the inquiry as well as a copy of the report can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Media enquiries Chair, Senator James Paterson via Deborah Seccombe on 0451 255 891 or deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information Committee Secretariat (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hold a public hearing tomorrow examining the relisting of Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades as part of its larger Review into the relisting of five organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code.

Media release issue date: Thursday, 30 September 2021

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) will hold a public hearing tomorrow examining the relisting of Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades as part of its larger Review into the relisting of five organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code. Hamas’ Izz al-Din al Qassam Brigades are the paramilitary wing of Hamas and have been listed as a terrorist organisation by the Government since 2003. The Committee will hear from experts on Hamas as well as from Government agencies such as the Department of Home Affairs and ASIO. Chair of the Committee, Senator James Paterson, said evidence presented to the committee by experts would help determine whether the listing of Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades should be widened to include the entirety of Hamas, which is not currently captured. “The committee has not hesitated in the past to recommend broadening terrorist listings if we believe the evidence supports doing so, for example with Hezbollah. We will carefully consider the case for listing all of Hamas as a terrorist organisation rather than just its paramilitary wing,” Senator Paterson said. Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Public Hearing Details Friday, 1 October 2021 10:00AM – 1:00PM (AEST) Committee Room 2R1, Parliament House, Canberra A program for the hearing can be found here and the hearing will be broadcast live at aph.gov.au/live Media inquiries: Chair, Senator James Paterson via Deborah Seccombe on 0451 255 891 or deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information:  Committee Secretariat (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review of the re-listing of five organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (the Criminal Code).

Media release issue date: Monday, 1 January 0001

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review of the re-listing of five organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (the Criminal Code). The organisations are: Al-Shabaab – an officially recognised affiliate of al-Qa’ida based in Somalia, this group’s primary objective is to establish an Islamist state in the Horn of Africa under Sharia law. It follows al-Qa’ida’s anti-Western violent jihadist narrative and currently controls territory in southern Somalia. Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades – founded in 1991 as the paramilitary wing of Hamas, this group fuses Sunni Islamist and Palestinian nationalist objectives. Its goals are the establishment of an independent Palestinian state comprising of Gaza, the West Bank and Israel and the destruction of Israel as a political entity. The Kurdistan Workers’ Party – a nationalist and Marxist-Leninist revolutionary organisation based around Kurdish ethnic identity, this group’s primary targets are the Turkish government and security forces but it has also attacked the interests of other rival political parties. Lashkar-e-Tayyiba – a Pakistani-based Sunni violent extremist organisation, this group’s stated objective is uniting Indian administered Kashmir with Pakistan under Islamic law and, more broadly, the establishment of an Islamic Caliphate across the Indian subcontinent. It is one of the most active terrorist groups in the Jammu and Kashmir region. Palestinian Islamic Jihad – a religiously and ideologically motivated violent extremist organisation, this Palestinian nationalist and Sunni Islamic group seeks the military destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic Palestinian state within the historical borders of Palestine. It rejects the two-state solution. Under section 102.1A of the Criminal Code, the Committee may review listings of terrorist organisations and report its findings to each house of the Parliament within the 15 sitting day disallowance period.  Members of the public are welcome to make submissions to this review. Submissions should be provided no later than 5pm Friday, 20 August 2020. Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website. Media inquiries: Chair, Senator James Paterson via Deborah Seccombe on 0451 255 891 or deborah.seccombe@aph.gov.au For background information:  Committee Secretariat, Parliamentary Joint Committee on intelligence and Security (02) 6277 2360 pjcis@aph.gov.au For more information about this Committee, you can visit its website. On the site, you can make a submission to an inquiry, read other submissions, and get details for upcoming public hearings. You can also track the Committee and receive email updates by clicking on the blue ‘Track Committee’ button in the bottom right hand corner of the page.