LONDON: Britain yesterday moved to ban the entire military wing of Hezbollah, adding it to its blacklist of designated terrorist groups.

Toughening its stance on the Lebanese political group, the Home Office move makes it a criminal offense to belong to, raise funds or encourage support for the group’s military wing. The Interior Ministry said it took the action because Hezbollah’s military branch was supporting militants in Iraq and Palestine.

London has already banned Hezbollah’s External Security Organization (ESO), which it considers the group’s “terrorist wing.”

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith laid the order in Parliament, which, if approved, would substitute for the existing proscription against the ESO. “Hezbollah’s military wing is providing active support to militants in Iraq who are responsible for attacks both on coalition forces and on Iraqi civilians, including providing training in the use of deadly roadside bombs,” Tony McNulty, the junior Home Office minister, said.

“Hezbollah’s military wing also provides support to Palestinian terrorist groups in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It is because of this support for terrorism in Iraq and Occupied Palestinian Territories that the government has taken this action,” he said.

In Beirut, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said the British decision was an “honor” but questioned the timing of the move. “Each time there is such a decision by the colonialists, we consider it a medal, an honor which attests that we are on the right path for our people,” Nasrallah said. “But the timing is suspect because it coincides with a prisoner swap,” he said, referring to an agreement that will involve Israel releasing five Lebanese and the remains of Hezbollah members in exchange for the bodies of two Israeli soldiers captured in a cross-border raid two years ago.