LONDON, Oct. 10 (Xinhuanet) -- British Home Office announced on Monday that it is to ban 15 international groups believed to be terrorist organizations.

    The 15 are on top of 25 international organizations already proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, and a further 14 being already banned in Northern Ireland, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported.

    They include groups with links to Iraq, Uzbekistan, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Morocco.  

    The British government is also planning to change the law so that it can ban groups which glorify terrorism.  

    Under the Terrorism Act 2000, being a member of a proscribed organization can be punished by a ten-year prison term.  

    Among the new list of groups to be banned are Islamic organizations Ansar Al Islam, Groupe Islamique Combattant Marocain, Al Ittihad Al Islamia and Ansar Al Sunna.

    "Recent events in London and elsewhere in the world have shown all too clearly that the threat posed by global terrorism has not gone away," said Home Secretary Charles Clarke, adding the attacks of July 7 and 21 have served as a reminder of the need to maintaina "vigorous approach" to dealing with terrorism's and their supporters." Enditem