Extremists sanctioned
The move directly addresses the growing threat of online radicalisation and antisemitic ideologies.
The Australian government has imposed counter-terrorism financing on Terrorgram, a white supremacist terrorist network that operates predominantly on encrypted platforms such as Telegram.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong announced the sanctions, marking the first time an entirely online entity has been targeted under Australia’s terrorism financing regime.
The move directly addresses the growing threat of online radicalisation and antisemitic ideologies.
Terrorgram, a network known for promoting white supremacy and racially motivated violence, now faces severe legal consequences.
Individuals dealing with the group’s assets could face penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment and substantial fines.
“This demonstrates the Albanese government’s commitment to disrupting the activities of terrorists and violent extremists and preventing them from recruiting and radicalising people online,” Wong said. “There is no place in Australia for antisemitism, hatred or violence.”
The network specialises in promoting “militant accelerationism”, an ideology that advocates for violent acts intended to destabilise society.
The Zionist Federation of Australia (ZFA) has welcomed the move, saying white supremacist and racially motivated groups are a direct threat to Australian society and the Jewish community in particular.
ZFA CEO Alon Cassuto said, “Those who fund and enable hate must face the full force of the law. Given our current antisemitism crisis, the fight against extremism can’t be selective, and it can’t be reactive.”
He called on the government to confront “this rising tide of hate head-on across all fronts”.
In addition to sanctioning Terrorgram, the government has re-listed four other far-right groups under the counter-terrorism financing regime – National Socialist Order, the Russian Imperial Movement, Sonnenkrieg Division and The Base.
Telegram has reportedly issued a statement saying calls for violence have no place on its platform.
“Moderators removed several channels that used variations of the ‘Terrorgram’ name when they were discovered years ago. Similar content is banned whenever it appears,” it said.
Simultaneously, the Australian government has imposed sanctions on Hezbollah’s new Secretary-General, Naim Qassem.
comments