More banned groups in Canada

by John Thompson

04/21/03

There are around 80 terrorist groups currently pestering the world. Some are minor and amateurish---such as the Animal Liberation Front, while the far end of the spectrum is best represented by the likes of Al Qaida.

Even before the 9-11 attacks, the community of nations was moving to limit the power of terrorist groups through treaties, international agreements, and orders from the UN Security Council. America, Britain, and France have all banned a number of groups that have operated inside their countries, and looked to Canada to do likewise with a number of organizations.

We have move--slowly--to list a number of terrorist groups which may no longer operate here. Besides the usual laws concerning using violence, it is now an offense to provide material or money for listed groups, to belong to the group, provide information to it, harbor or conceal its members, or assist them in any other way. Good stuff, and good tough laws--except that terrorist groups which are not on the list are still allowed to engage in a number of activities.

With the fourth set of additions to Canada’s banned list, here are the groups that–supposedly--can no longer operate here:

• The Al Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade — The PLO’s own internal terrorist group and the generator of many suicide attacks.

• Euzkadi ta Askatasuna — The long-lived Basque ETA.

• The PKK (Kurdish Workers Party) - Which staged a spectacular ‘instant’ riot in Ottawa in February 1999.

• The ELN, - A Columbian Marxist terrorist group.

• Al-Gana’at Al Islamiyyaa - An Egyptian group associated with Al Qaida.

• Al-Ithhihad Al Islami - A Somali group associated with both Al Qaida and the Aideed clan.

• The Armed Islamic Group (or the GIA) - the ferocious despoilers of Algeria, and an affiliate of Al Qaida.

• Egyptian Islamic Jihad - A member of Al Qaida which is also known as the Jihad Group.

• Harakat ul-Mujahidn - It is the most active of the Kashmiri groups but also has sworn to attack American targets. It is a member of Al Qaida.

• Islamic Army of Aydin - It was the front group for al Qaida’s attack on the USS Cole.

• Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - This group is active in the old Central Asian Republics and drew support through Afghanistan before it was liberated.

• Jemmaah Islamiyyyah - Active in Southeast Asia, a Canadian al-Qaida member has been associated with the group.

• Jayesh-e-Mohammed - Another al Qaida affiliate, it is active in India.

• Palestinian Islamic Jihad - Based in the Gaza Strip, and the only Palestinian group to affiliate itself with al Qaida, it maintains a strong presence in some American and European universities within Islamic Students Associations. There are grounds to believe the organization is active on some Canadian campuses too.

• Salafist Group for Call and Combat - Ahmed Ressam and his colleagues in Montreal belonged to this Al Qaida member group.

• Hamas - Like Palestinian Islamic Jihad, it often seeks to undermine the Palestinian Authority as much as it can by competing with it for prestige by attacking Israeli targets, undermining progress--when such occurs--in the peace process, and challenging the PLO by creating rival institutions. The group has a presence in Canada.

• Hizballah - Has an active presence in Canada--where it was finally banned in January 2003.

• United Self Defence Forces of Colombia — A paramilitary force active in areas where FARC is present, the groups has been implicated in acts of terrorism against potential FARC supporters.

• Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia - Ostensibly Marxist, FARC controls some 40% of the Colombian countryside. It has dedicated Canadian political supporters--most of whom are associated with the remains of the Communist Party of Canada. FARC does benefit from domestic Canadian consumption of cocaine and related products.

• Aum Shinri Kyo - A frightening cult, it has an apocalyptic obsession and hoped to trigger Armageddon by committing attacks with weapons of mass destruction — including the Tokyo subway nerve gas attack in March 1995 that killed 12 and injured 6,000.

This is all good stuff, except that the group that killed more Canadians than all others combined is still not banned. The Sikh group Babbar Khalsa, which is responsible for the 1985 Air India bombing, has yet to be listed. The same is true for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who have arrived in considerable numbers.

Those who wonder at this oversight (as many Canadian Sikhs and Tamils do), are invited to consider one critical factor--groups for consideration have to be approved by the Federal Solicitor General, who is a member of Parliament and an elected official. And some terrorist groups have positioned themselves to play multicultural politics to the hilt…

We have made a good start, but does our government have the nerve to see things all the way through?

John Thompson is President of the Mackenzie Institute which studies political instability and terrorism. He can be reached at: mackenzieinstitute@bellnet.ca