The British government said Friday that it intends to ban the Palestinian militant group Hamas as a terrorist organization.

The military wing of Hamas has been outlawed in the U.K. since 2001 but the organization as a whole is not proscribed.

Home Secretary Priti Patel, who is in charge of law and order issues, said on Twitter that she had �acted to proscribe Hamas in its entirety.�

She said the group �has significant terrorist capability, including access to extensive and sophisticated weaponry, as well as terrorist training facilities.�

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss tweeted that �Hamas will be proscribed as a terrorist organization,� saying the move �will help tackle the scourge of antisemitism.�

A ban, which must be approved by Parliament, would make it illegal in Britain to be a member of Hamas or to express support for the group, with a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

The government said it hoped the banning order would be approved by Parliament within the week and take effect Nov. 26.

Hamas, a Palestinian group that opposes Israel�s existence, has governed the Gaza Strip since taking over the area in 2007, a year after it won a Palestinian election.

Hamas is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the U.S. and the European Union.

(AP)