NZ designates four groups terrorist organisations

New Zealand has for the first time designated four international terrorist groups which are not listed by the United Nations, Prime Minister John Key says.

The organisations have been designated under the Terrorism Suppression Act, joining hundreds of others which were put on the list after the UN identified them on its own list.

"The designations reflect New Zealand's strong commitment to the international campaign against terrorism," Mr Key said today.

"We are determined New Zealand is not a target of, or source of support for, terrorist activities."

The groups are Somalia-based Al Shabaab, Spain's Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA), the Kurdistan Workers Party in Turkey and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, of Colombia.

"These four groups have engaged in a range of terrorist acts including the indiscriminate killing of civilians and assassination of political leaders," Mr Key said.

"As a result of the designations, any assets held by the groups and found in New Zealand either now or in the future will be frozen.

"It will also be a criminal offence to deal with their property or make property and financial services available to them."

Mr Key said the four organisations had been designated by a number of other countries under their own national procedures.

The prime minister has the discretionary power, under the Terrorism Suppression Act, to make designations.

"While the risk of a terrorist attack in New Zealand is low, the designations are important to constrain the operations of terrorist groups around the world," Mr Key said.

"It would not be in New Zealand's interests to be seen by terrorist groups as an easy place in which to do business."

- NZPA