U.K. designates Hamas as a terror group

Britain’s Foreign Secretary Priti Patel said Friday that the government would press for Hamas to be designated a terrorist organization.

The minister explained that the government is working to ban Hamas under the terrorism law, which means that anyone who expresses support for the movement, raises its flag or arranges meetings with it will be subject to the law.

She confirmed, according to statements published by the British Guardian newspaper, that she will start her efforts to classify Hamas as a terrorist group next week before the parliament.

Under the new plans, Hamas supporters in Britain could face up to 14 years in prison.

Speaking to reporters in Washington, Battle said the move “is based on a broad range of intelligence and connections to terrorism”.

She continued: “We believe that we can no longer separate the military from the political” of the movement, as Britain is currently banning only the military wing of Hamas, known as the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Banning Hamas “would send a very strong message to anyone who believes it is acceptable to be a supporter of an organization like that”, Patel said.

Hamas is already classified as a terrorist organization banned by the United States, Canada and the European Union, meaning its assets can be confiscated and its members jailed under terrorism laws.