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New Zealand designates Egypt-based militants terrorist group

Xinhua, May 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

New Zealand government has designated the Egypt-based Ansar Bayt al Maqdis militant organization as a terrorist group, Prime Minister John Key said Friday.

The designation was made under New Zealand's own Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 rather than as an obligation under United Nations Security Council resolutions.

"The group has committed various terrorist acts, including the indiscriminate killing of civilians," Key said in a statement.

"As a result of this designation, any assets the groups may have in New Zealand, either now, or in the future, will be frozen. It will also be a criminal offence to carry out property or financial transactions with them."

Forms of support, such as fundraising and recruiting or harboring terrorists, were criminal offences in New Zealand, regardless of whether a group is designated as a terrorist entity or not.

"These designations are not a response to domestic terrorist threats in New Zealand and nor are they influenced by New Zealand' s relationship with other countries. However, they do form part of our government's support against terrorism activities," said Key.

"Our ability to designate terrorist entities not listed by the United Nations is an important counter-terrorism measure. Our government is determined that New Zealand not be used to support terrorist activities."

To date, New Zealand had designated under UN Security Council resolutions more than 400 terrorist groups and individuals listed by the United Nations, and the designation of Ansar Bayt al Maqdis brought the number of terrorist entities not listed by the UN to 20. Endi