(Sydney Morning Herald) Australia is one step closer to listing Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation after a bipartisan inquiry urged the federal government to move on the Lebanese militant group and political party.
The powerful intelligence and security committee has recommended all of Hezbollah be declared a terrorist entity, rather than just a wing of its security arm.
Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews last month re-listed Hezbollah’s External Security Organisation, but maintained Australia’s longstanding position not to do the same for the other wings of the Iranian-backed group.
Tabling its report into the listing on Tuesday afternoon, the committee’s chair, Liberal Senator James Paterson, said it was “concerned by the decision to at this stage only re-list Hezbollah’s ESO.”
