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Oct 15, 2024 4:57 PM - Connect Newsroom - Debby Rai with files from The Canadian Press

Canada designates pro-Palestinian group Samidoun as a terrorist entity; U.S. sanctions Canadian citizen linked to it

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Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc says Samidoun will now be listed under Criminal Code offences that ban people from donating or providing property to the group. (Photo: The Canadian Press)

The Government of Canada has officially listed the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun as a terrorist organization under the Criminal Code, citing its close ties to a group already designated as a terrorist entity - the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the designation on Tuesday, saying it is now a criminal offence to donate or provide property, financial assistance, or other resources to the group. LeBlanc said the listing reflects Canada’s “commitment to protecting public safety and countering violent extremism.”

Samidoun, also known as the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, has been accused by Ottawa of advancing the interests of the PFLP, a Marxist-Leninist Palestinian organization that Canada, the United States, and the European Union have long classified as a terrorist entity.

At the same time, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that Canadian citizen Khaled Barakat has been added to its counter-terrorism sanctions list, alleging that he is part of the PFLP’s leadership and fundraising network.

American officials describe Samidoun as being headquartered in Vancouver, claiming the group operates under the guise of a humanitarian organization while supporting acts of terrorism against Israel.

The move follows calls from Canada’s Conservative Party, which last week urged the federal government to ban Samidoun, accusing the group of organizing rallies across Canadian cities where participants called for the destruction of Israel.

Samidoun has not yet issued a public response to the designation.

The decision comes amid heightened tensions across Canada’s Jewish and Palestinian communities, particularly in cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, where pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations have increased over the past year. Community leaders have urged dialogue and restraint as emotions remain high following continued violence in the Middle East.