Australia lists al Shabaab as a terrorist organization

From Bloomberg

Aug. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Australia today listed Somali Islamist militia al-Shabaab as a terrorist organization, after five men allegedly linked with the group were charged with planning a suicide attack on an army barracks near Sydney.

Foreign Minister Stephen Smith issued a special notice outlawing the group, following advice from security agencies that al-Shabaab is either “directly or indirectly engaged in, preparing, planning, assisting or fostering terrorist acts,” the government said in a statement. [...]

Australian police say the group is linked to a plot to storm the Holsworthy Barracks in western Sydney with automatic weapons and kill as many soldiers as possible. Five men, aged between 22 and 33, most of Somali and Lebanese descent, were charged earlier this month with preparing an act of terrorism and will face court again on Oct. 26.