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Ottawa, December 4, 2001
2001-114

Three Organizations Added to Anti-Terrorist List

Finance Minister Paul Martin and Foreign Affairs Minister John Manley today announced that the Government has listed three organizations linked to terrorism whose property is to be frozen and reported to the relevant authorities.

"Our Government remains firm in its resolve to defeat terrorism wherever it exists," Minister Martin said. "We continue to share information with other countries around the world relating to individuals and organizations that have been linked to the financing of terrorist activities."

Minister Manley added, "Canada has been supporting and will continue to support the efforts of our law enforcement and security agencies as well as those of our allies to locate and identify organizations linked to terrorist activities anywhere in the world."

The decision to add the new names to the schedule contained in the United Nations Suppression of Terrorism Regulations was taken by the Governor-in-Council following a recommendation from Canadian security and intelligence agencies.

The three organizations are: Al Aqsa Islamic Bank, Beit el-Mal Holdings and the Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development.

As a result of today’s action, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is sending a letter to all federally regulated financial institutions. Provincial and territorial financial regulators are also being advised of the new names. A copy of the letter and a list of persons and entities can be found on the OSFI Web site at www.osfi-bsif.gc.ca.

Financial institutions are obliged to review their records for the names of the new individuals and entities. In cases where a review turns up information, these accounts and contracts are frozen. This information is then passed on to law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The efforts to combat terrorist financing are part of the Government’s anti-terrorist plan, which has four objectives:

• stop terrorists from getting into Canada and protect Canadians from terrorist acts;
• bring forward tools to identify, prosecute, convict and punish terrorists;
• prevent the Canada-U.S. border from being compromised by terrorists; and
• work with the international community to bring terrorists to justice and address the root causes of terrorism.

These measures are an important part of the Government of Canada’s $280-million Anti-Terrorism Plan – a plan that brings to $1.8 billion the amount the Government of Canada has invested in policing, security and intelligence since Budget 2000.

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