European court keeps Hamas on EU terror list

The European Court of Justice ruled today to keep the Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, on the European Union’s terror list.

In a statement the court said; “Groups can be listed if there is an on going risk of that person or entity being involved in the terrorist activities, the ECJ, therefore, sets aside the 2014 judgment of the General Court.”

“It refers the case back to the General Court so that the latter may examine the facts and arguments on which it did not rule in its 2014 judgment.”

Judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) overruled the General Court’s 2014 ruling that was made based on the fact that the Council of the European Union had insufficient evidence to maintain asset freezes and travel bans on Hamas.

Read: US calls for UNSC to blacklist Hamas

The General Court had found that the listing was based on media and internet reports rather than legal arguments. However, the ECJ said such decisions were not required for groups to stay on the list, only for their initial listing.