Australia officially designates Houthis as terrorists
Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said this is in response to the organisation’s ongoing violent activities in the Gulf of Aden and the surrounding regions.
The Australian Government has officially designated The Yemeni Houthis, whose official title is Ansar Allah, as a terrorist organisation.
Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said this is in response to the organisation’s ongoing violent activities in the Gulf of Aden and the surrounding regions.
“The group’s actions have led to civilian casualties, hostage situations, and significant disruptions to maritime navigation, thereby threatening maritime security and global trade,” he said in a statement.
The listing follows advice from Australia’s security agencies, which indicated that Ansar Allah is involved in the preparation, planning, and execution of terrorist attacks.
Ansar Allah is a Shia Islamist political and military organization in Yemen which has launched missiles and drones at international shipping.
They claimed initially they were targeting Israeli vessels but have since expanded their activity to include ships linked to what they consider Israeli ally nations passing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
Around 12 per cent of global trade passes through the Red Sea.
If it becomes impassable because of Houthi attacks, ships will have to divert around Africa, adding to the time and cost of global transport.
The government’s designation aims to support the prosecution of terrorism-related offences and inform the community that any form of support for this organisation is a criminal offence.
Anasar Allah joins Al Qaeda, Islamic state, Hamas, Hezbollah, Islamic Jihad and others as a listed terrorism organisation in Australia.
Under Division 102 of the Criminal Code, it is illegal to be a member of, associate with, participate in activities with, train with, or provide support to a terrorist organisation.
These offences can result in up to 25 years imprisonment.
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