British Home Secretary, Mark Straw, published on Wednesday a list of 21 militant groups from around the world that he proposes to ban from Britain on the grounds that they are terrorists. Half of them are from the Middle East, including Lebanese Hizbollah and Al Qaeda organization, allegedly run by Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden, according to the Daily Telegraph on Thursday.
The list also includes the Islamic Army of Aden, which took six Western tourists hostage after six suspected terrorists, including five British nationals, had been arrested by the Yemeni authorities. Four hostages and three terrorists were killed in a shoot-out.
Palestinian movements: Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and Abu Nidal's organization (Fateh-Revolutionary Council) are on the list.
According to a report by Haaretz on the list, Straw wrote that the Hizbollah is active in Britain and its members are in contact with the foreign relations section of the organization in Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Hamas, Straw reported, conducts fund raising activities through charities based in Britain. The Islamic Jihad does not overtly conduct any activities in Britain, but there are individuals who maintain contact with the organization. Several members of the Palestinian community in Britain have historic ties with Abu Nidal's group, but none are active members, he was quoted by the Israeli daily as saying.
However, Britain will continue to allow Hamas and Hizbollah to raise funds for humanitarian purposes, since the laws only cover the terrorist wings of these organizations, and all the organization on the list will be allowed to appeal the decision when adopted.
According to the Telegraph, the list threatened to provoke resentment in Muslim communities, because 16 of the groups are Islamic organizations from the Middle East, Turkey or Kashmir. But Charles Clarke, a Home Office minister, who met prominent British Muslims Wednesday to explain the list, denied that the Home Office was "targeting" Muslims.
He told a Westminster news conference that Britain "deeply respects the contribution which the Muslim community makes to the life of this country. We are concerned on the other hand to isolate and attack international terrorist organizations, and that is why we have named the organizations we have.
"We make no presumption that Muslim organizations are more or less likely to be terrorist organizations. I am aware that there are some people who may argue within the Muslim community that this is an attack on Muslims - that would be an entirely wrong understanding of the decisions we are publicizing today."
He also denied that governments with whom Britain has friendly relations, such as India, Turkey or Saudi Arabia, had any influence on which groups were included. Some governments had "made representations" about organizations which they thought ought to be proscribed, "but they did no more than that.” – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
