August 09
THE Somali-based terror group al-Shabaab should be listed as a terrorist organisation, opposition legal affairs spokesman George Brandis said today.
His comments come five days after five men were charged in Victoria over their alleged links to the a terrorist plot and the radical fundamentalist group.
The men, of Somali and Lebanese descent, had planned a suicide shoot-out at Sydney's Holsworthy military base.
"In view of the events that happened in Melbourne this week, we would be most surprised were al-Shabaab not to be listed," Senator Brandis told Sky News.
Al-Shabaab is not listed as a terrorist group in Australia but has been listed in the United States since February 2008.
When asked if proscribing al-Shabbab as a terror group would send them underground, Senator Brandis said the group was a covert operation picked up by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO).
"So, I don't think driving them underground is really the issue."
Senator Brandis said the opposition would await the details of national security assessments, but he accused Attorney-General Robert McClelland of "dragging his feet" on counter terrorism policy.
Mr McClelland on Saturday said the Federal Government would consider changing the regime that governs whether or not radical groups are listed as terrorist organisations.
He said the Government was considering a review of the proscription process, making more transparent the criteria applied when identifying a terrorist group.
"In the next couple of weeks it is anticipated we will be issuing a discussion paper on the proscription regime and specifically identifying the informal criteria that are applied by the security agencies," he told ABC radio.
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