Following media reports last week that the Bush administration is moving to blacklist Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, terrorism experts are now wondering whether Canada, given its close ties with the U.S., will follow suit. In the past when an entity is listed as a terrorist organization south of the border, Canada follows by doing the same and the trend is likely to continue, said John Thompson, executive director of the Toronto-based Mackenzie Institute, a think-tank that studies terrorism and political extremism.
"We usually follow a little more slowly and deliberately," he said, adding that he expects other countries in Europe and the United Nations Security Council to follow the U.S. example.
"Given what Iran has been doing with nuclear weapons, it is very likely other countries will follow."
Quoting an unnamed government source, the Washington Post reported last week that the Bush administration is thinking of designating the 125,000-strong IGRC as a terrorist organization, a move that is expected to curtail the group's financial and business operations in Iran. While the U.S. has maintained a list of entities that support terrorism long before the terrorist attacks of Sept.11, 2001, this will be the first time that it has listed a country's armed forces as a terrorist organization.
But while the move breaks new ground, the argument that countries allied to the U.S. will follow its example, arises from the fact that the decision is being judged in the context of recent events relating to designating the terrorist label to organizations, said Jezz Littlewood, director of the Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies at Carleton University.
"Given the international reach of terrorism, it makes sense for the allies to have an agreement to target resources to combat terrorism. So it's good policy practice that allies will have similar or the same organizations on their list of terrorist organizations but it's not an automatic process and it's not something that happens just because the United States is saying 'we want it done,'" said Mr. Littlewood.
Mr. Littlewood contends that countries are not likely to jump on the U.S bandwagon because of differences in legal procedures and how these countries define terrorism. Following the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., six years ago, most countries in the West adopted the U.S. example of having a list with names of organizations and individuals who support terrorism. In most cases, the lists contain the same organizations. But politics has played a role in defining terrorism, and subsequently determining whether an entity should be labeled as a terrorist organization or not. For instance, while the United States designated the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organization several years ago, Canada under the Liberals delayed doing so. They were added last year when the Conservatives came to power. Critics said the Liberals fear of losing the estimated 200,000-strong Tamil vote was behind the indecision.
A survey of lists of organizations that support terrorism from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the European Union and the U.S. shows a marked difference on who goes on the list. For instance, while Canada, Britain, the U.S. and the EU have listed the Tamil Tigers as a terrorist organization, Australia and New Zealand have not. While Canada only listed the Tigers in April last year (followed by the EU in May), Britain has had the Tigers on the terror list since 2001. In addition all these countries only list non-state organizations and have not listed any country's army as a terrorist group.
The current U.S. intention to list the IRGC is spurred by politics, the more reason Canada might be hesitant to follow suit, said Barry Cooper, a professor of political science at the University of Calgary. Mr. Cooper argues that the decision should be seen in the context of what is going on between Iran and the U.S. over the future of Iraq.
"In fact it may be nothing more than a bargaining chip," said Mr. Cooper.
The Washington Post said the decision to list the IRGC was motivated by U.S. frustration over Iran's increasing role in Iraq and Afghanistan and Tehran's support for extremists in the Middle East. Mr. Cooper said even if the U.S. officially lists the Revolutionary Guards as terrorists, he doesn't see Canada doing the same immediately.
"I don't think it belongs in the same category as designating conventional terrorist organizations," he said.
Mélisa Leclerc, a spokeswoman for Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day, said Canada will continue working closely with its allies in fighting terrorism, but declined to comment on whether the government will list the IRGC as a terrorist organization.
"It would be inappropriate to comment on which entities may be under consideration, but I can say that the assessment process for possible new listings is continuous," she said.
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