Ottawa: Canada has officially designated the pro-Palestinian group Samidoun as a terrorist organization, while the U.S. has added Canadian citizen Khaled Barakat, affiliated with the group, to its counter-terrorism list.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc stated that Samidoun will now be subject to Criminal Code offences, prohibiting donations or support to the group. Samidoun, also known as the Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, is said to have close links with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which is already designated as a terrorist entity in Canada.
The U.S. Treasury Department claims that Samidoun operates from Vancouver and disguises itself as a humanitarian organization while actually supporting terrorism against Israel. The Conservative Party in Canada has called for this designation, citing the group’s involvement in rallies that allegedly called for the destruction of Israel. Samidoun has not yet responded to requests for comment.