Australia to list Hamas and U.S. far-right group as terrorists

Australia on February 17 said it had added the U.S.-based far-right extremist group National Socialist Order and planned to add the entirety of the Palestinian group Hamas to its list of outlawed terrorist organisations as concerns rise about radicalised children.

The National Socialist Order, formerly known as Atomwaffen Division, joins Islamist groups Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Hurras al-Din in being added to the list, Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said.

Hamas’ military wing, Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, has been listed as a terrorist organisation since 2003.

The National Socialist Order, which advocates a global “race war” and the collapse of democratic societies, joined the list on February 17, bringing the number of outlawed groups to 28.

The two Islamist groups, both active in the Syrian civil war, will be listed in April.

Mr. Andrews had written to State Governments to finalise the listing of Hamas as soon as possible.

“The views of Hamas and the violent extremist groups listed today are deeply disturbing, and there is no place in Australia for such views,” Mr. Andrews said.