Involved in the global efforts to combat terrorism, the Comoros Ministry of the Interior announced a list of 69 terrorist entities, most of which are active in the Middle East region, and have networks and branches in Europe and in some Asian and African countries and even in the Gulf of Aden near the Indian Ocean region, all of which believe with the ideas and ideologies of these main groups and organizations that practice terrorism and believe in a culture of violence.
The local newspaper “Al-Watan” stated that the announcement of this list falls within the framework of efforts to implement the provisions of the law on combating terrorism and money laundering in the country, adding that the list includes the names of organizations, groups and movements that the Comoros considers to be part of “international terrorist organizations”, which is prohibited from carrying out its activities in the country.
According to the same source, this list includes 69 terrorist organizations, groups and movements, as Fikr El-Din Mahmoud issued a ministerial decision on February 9, under No. (23/004) declaring that the Comoros bans 69 international entities, which it considers “terrorist organizations” to operate in the national territory.
The list of the Comoros Ministry of the Interior includes the Islamic State, the International Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, the youth organization, Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia, and the Islamic Group in Egypt, along with movements affiliated with Shiite networks: such as the Houthis in Yemen and all associated structures. Hezbollah movement in the Gulf states.
The Comorian Ministry of the Interior relied to issue this list on the provisions of Articles 1 and 27 of the Law issued on June 29, 2021 by the National Parliament under No. (21-006), regarding combating terrorism and its financing, combating money laundering, terrorist organizations and groups, and combating groups operating under the cover of these movements. , upon its orders or in agreement with it, its aims and means are prohibited throughout the country.
According to the first article of the Ministry of the Interior’s decision, “these measures concern all material and moral organizations that have a relationship and work with these concerned structures.” The decision also stressed that the Comoros wants to send a strong signal of its desire to combat terrorism in all its forms and combat all financing activities. Terrorist groups and attack all structures that finance criminal activities, in addition to implementing the provisions of the law on combating terrorism and money laundering.
The decision of the Ministry of the Interior stipulates the possibility of confiscating all the property and assets of these groups, prohibiting any “activities to recruit their followers” and preventing any activity that would “provide human, material and financial resources, organize any propaganda work in favor of these groups and organizations, or carry out their activities in any way.”
Commenting on this revealed list, Mr. Lavani, the liaison officer at the Regional Center for the Integration of Maritime Information, based on the island of Madagascar, confirmed, “the Indian Ocean region is today facing an increase in piracy, arms smuggling, trafficking of all kinds, and illegal actions linked to terrorist groups.” “.
For his part, an official source at the Ministry of the Interior of the Comoros explained that “announcing the list of these international terrorist groups and organizations and banning all their activities in Comorian territory” Comoros would like to comply with the directives of regional and international organizations, the African Union, the United Nations, as well as partners who combat activities. The source added, “It is a message addressed to these structures and organizations, and to all their fans and supporters, that there be tolerance in the case of reporting or discovering suspicious activities in the lunar lands of these groups.