The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) has commenced a review of the relisting of Islamic State Somalia as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code Act 1995 (the Criminal Code).
Founded in 2014 by a splinter group of disaffected al-Shabaab members, Islamic State Somalia is an officially recognised affiliate of Islamic State Syria and has the stated aim of establishing a Caliphate in the Horn of Africa. It has conducted several terrorist acts in the northern Somali Puntland region targeting Somali Government officials and civilians. The Australian Government has listed Islamic State Somalia as a terrorist organisation since 2019.
Under section 102.1A of the Criminal Code, the Committee may review listings of terrorist organisations and report its findings to each house of the Parliament within the 15 sitting day disallowance period.
Members of the public are welcome to make submissions to this review. Submissions should be provided no later than 5pm Tuesday, 25 October 2022.
Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.
