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The federal government has announced counter-terrorism financing sanctions on entities that promote nationalist and racist violent extremist ideologies, as well as a Hizballah official.
Counter-terrorism financing sanctions have been imposed on online white supremacist terrorist network Terrorgram as well as the National Socialist Order, the Russian Imperial Movement, Sonnenkrieg Division and The Base, according to a government statement on 3 February.
It is the first time any Australian government has imposed counter-terrorism financing sanctions on an entity based entirely online.
It is now a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of, or make assets available to, Terrorgram. Penalties include up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or heavy fines.
In addition, sanctions have been imposed on Hizballah’s new secretary-general and a leading spokesperson, Naim Qassem. The sanctions relate to the deaths of countless civilians in Lebanon, Israel and across the Middle East committed by Hizballah.
The sanctions demonstrate the federal government’s commitment to disrupting the activities of terrorists and violent extremists and preventing them from recruiting and radicalising people online, according to the statement released by Minister for Foreign Affairs Senator Penny Wong.
“What we need to ensure is that all those who are involved in the hateful acts we have seen are identified, apprehended by police and face the full force of the law. That is what we want to do. What government can also do is put in place measures that keep people safe. These sanctions are one of them,” Senator Wong said during a doorstop interview on 3 February.
“There’s certainly evidence that Terrorgram is used by people in Australia. Extremists, white supremacists and extremists. And they have to be confronted.”
There is no place in Australia for anti-Semitism, hatred or violence, according to the statement.
