Several national governments and two international organizations have created lists of organizations that they designate as terrorist. The following list of designated terrorist groups lists groups designated as terrorist by current and former national governments, and inter-governmental organizations. Such designations have often had a significant effect on the groups' activities.
Many organizations that have been designated as terrorist have denied using
terrorism
Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violence during peacetime or in the context of war aga ...
as a
military tactic to achieve their goals, and there is no international consensus on the legal
definition of terrorism.
This listing does not include unaffiliated individuals accused of terrorism, which is considered
lone wolf terrorism. This list also excludes groups which might be widely considered terrorist, but who are not officially designated according to the criteria specified above.
Organizations designated as terrorist
By the United Nations Security Council Committee
Organizations listed by the
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
ISIL (Da'esh) and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee.
Other organizations
Organizations formerly designated as terrorist
Below is the list of organizations that have officially been designated as terrorist in the past, by the respective parties, but have since been delisted.
Process of designation
Among the countries that publish a list of designated terrorist organizations, some have a clear established procedure for listing and delisting, and some are opaque. The Berghof Foundation argues that opaque delisting conditions reduce the incentive for the organization to abandon terrorism, while fuelling radicalism.
Australia
Since 2002, the
Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government or simply as the federal government, is the national executive government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. The executive consists of the pr ...
maintains a list of terrorist organizations under the ''Security Legislation Amendment (Terrorism) Act 2002''.
Listing, de-listing and re-listing follows a protocol
that mainly involves the
Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO ) is the Intelligence agency, domestic intelligence and national security agency of the Australian Government, responsible for protection from espionage, sabotage, acts of foreign inte ...
and the
Attorney-General's Department.
Bahrain
The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
maintains a public list of designated terrorist individuals and entities.
Canada
Since 18 December 2001, section 83.05 of the Canadian
''Criminal Code'' allows the
Governor in Council to maintain a list of entities that are engaged in terrorism, facilitating it, or acting on behalf of such an entity.
A review is conducted every five years by the
Minister of Public Safety to determine whether an entity should remain listed. Entities may apply for a judicial review by the
Chief Justice of the Federal Court. Both ministerial and judicial reviews are published in the ''
Canada Gazette''.
The list is also published on the website of
Public Safety Canada.
European Union
The European Union has two lists of designated terrorist organisations that provide for different sanctions for the two groups. The first list is copied from the United Nations, and the second is an autonomous list.
there are 21 organizations in the autonomous list.
India
Under the
Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the
Ministry of Home Affairs maintains a list of banned organizations.
Iran
The state maintains a list of designated terror groups; it includes the
US Armed Forces,
CENTCOM,
Iran International.
Israel
The Israeli list of "Terrorists Organizations and Unauthorized Associations" is available at the National Bureau for Counter Terror Financing of Israel.
Kazakhstan
The
Government of Kazakhstan
The Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan (, ''Qazaqstan Respublikasynyñ Ükımetı'') is the collegial body that exercises Executive branch, executive power in the Kazakhstan, Republic of Kazakhstan; The government heads the system of execu ...
publishes a list of terrorist organizations banned by courts.
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
maintains a consolidated list of "destructive, extremist and terrorist" organizations officially banned by courts. the list includes 21 organizations and 12 of them are recognized as terrorist organizations.
Malaysia
The
Ministry of Home Affairs of
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
maintains a sanction list of individuals and organizations involved in terrorist activity. The list is regulated by the Anti-Money Laundering, Anti-Terrorism Financing and Proceeds From Illegal Activities Act 2001 and is complementary to the
United Nations Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, an ...
sanction lists.
Myanmar
In
Myanmar
Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
(formerly ''Burma''), the ''Anti-Terrorism Central Committee'' is responsible for designating terrorist organisations in accordance with the country's counter-terrorism law. Designations must be approved by the
union government before being official. There are only two groups on Myanmar's terror list: the
Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army and
Arakan Army, declared on 25 August 2017
and January 2019
New Zealand
The
New Zealand Police are responsible for coordinating any requests to the Prime Minister for designation as a terrorist entity. The designation of terrorist organizations is also guided by the
Terrorism Suppression Act 2002. New Zealand also abides by several United Nations resolutions dealing with counter-terrorism including
UN Resolutions 1267,
1989
1989 was a turning point in political history with the "Revolutions of 1989" which ended communism in Eastern Bloc of Europe, starting in Poland and Hungary, with experiments in power-sharing coming to a head with the opening of the Berlin W ...
,
2253,
1988, and
1373.
Pakistan
Government of Pakistan under section 11-B of Anti Terrorism Act can declare an organization believed to be concerned with terrorism as a Proscribed Organization or put it under surveillance. Ministry of Interior issues the formal notification of proscription of an organization.
National Counter Terrorism Authority is primarily concerned with monitoring for any signs of re-emergence through intelligence coordination, once an organization is proscribed.
People's Republic of China
In 2003, the
Ministry of Public Security
Ministry of Public Security can refer to:
* Ministry of Justice and Public Security (Brazil)
* Ministry of Public Security of Burundi
* Ministry of Public Security (Chile)
* Ministry of Public Security (China)
* Ministry of Public Security of Co ...
published a list of "East Turkestan" terrorist organizations on its websit
mps.gov.cn This list was translated to English by the
Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the US.
Philippines
The
Department of Foreign Affairs publishes a list of designated terrorist organizations under the Human Security Act or the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.
The passage of the
Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 automatically recognized all terrorist group designations by the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
under Philippine law which includes the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
(ISIL). Under the same law, the Anti-Terrorism Council was formed to designate groups as terrorists.
Russia
A single federal list of organizations recognized as terrorist is used by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The National Anti-Terrorism Committee maintains a list of terrorist organizations, named "Federal United list of Terrorist Organizations".
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka bans using the
'Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979 regulations, cited as the Prevention of Terrorism (Proscription of Extremist Organizations).
Tajikistan
The
National Bank of Tajikistan publishes national lists of individuals and organizations declared terrorist or extremists by the
Supreme Court
In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.
In 2015, the
Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan was banned in
Tajikistan
Tajikistan, officially the Republic of Tajikistan, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Dushanbe is the capital city, capital and most populous city. Tajikistan borders Afghanistan to the Afghanistan–Tajikistan border, south, Uzbekistan to ...
as a terrorist organization.
United Arab Emirates
The
Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates periodically issues resolutions to include individuals and organizations on its terrorist list. issued resolutions are 2014/41,
2017/18,
2017/28,
2017/45,
2018/24
and 2018/50.
United Nations
The United Nations does not have a list of all terrorist organizations. Instead, it has several lists focusing on
international sanctions
International sanctions are political and economic decisions that are part of diplomatic efforts by countries, multilateral or regional organizations against states or organizations either to protect national security interests, or to protect i ...
in particular contexts.
The
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267
United Nations Security Council resolution 1267 was adopted unanimously on 15 October 1999. After recalling resolutions 1189 (1998), 1193 (1998) and 1214 (1998) on the situation in Afghanistan, the Council designated Osama bin Laden and associ ...
established lists focused
Al-Qaeda
, image = Flag of Jihad.svg
, caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions
, founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden
, leaders = {{Plainlist,
* Osama bin Lad ...
, the
Taliban
, leader1_title = Supreme Leader of Afghanistan, Supreme leaders
, leader1_name = {{indented plainlist,
* Mullah Omar{{Natural Causes{{nbsp(1994–2013)
* Akhtar Mansour{{Assassinated (2015–2016)
* Hibatullah Akhundzada (2016–present) ...
and their associates. The listing process was later extended to include the
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS occupied signi ...
.
United Kingdom
The
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
Home Office
The Home Office (HO), also known (especially in official papers and when referred to in Parliament) as the Home Department, is the United Kingdom's interior ministry. It is responsible for public safety and policing, border security, immigr ...
maintains a list of proscribed terrorist groups.
United States
The
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...
maintains a
list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.
See also
*
List of charities accused of ties to terrorism
*
List of non-state groups accused of terrorism
*
List of criminal enterprises, gangs, and syndicates
*
List of fascist movements
*
List of guerilla movements
*
List of Islamic terrorist organizations
*
List of Ku Klux Klan organizations
*
List of neo-Nazi organizations
*
List of organizations designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as hate groups
*
List of white nationalist organizations
*
Violent non-state actor
In international relations, violent non-state actors (VNSAs), also known as non-state armed actors or non-state armed groups (NSAGs), are individuals or groups that are wholly or partly independent of governments and which threaten or use viole ...
Notes
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:List of Designated Terrorist Organizations
Terrorist groups
Organized crime-related lists
Designated terrorist organizations