The military wing of Lebanese political party Hezbollah has been placed on the British Government's list of banned terrorist organisations.

Hezbollah's external security organisation was already included on the list, drawn up under counter-terror legislation passed in 2000, but it has now been replaced by a ban on the party's entire military structure.

Inclusion on the list - which features 45 international terror groups, most linked to Islamist extremism - makes it a criminal offence in the UK to be a member of an organisation, to raise funds or to encourage support for it.

Announcing the change to the list, Home Office minister Tony McNulty said the ban does not apply to the political, social or humanitarian activities of Hezbollah - which the Government refers to as Hizballah.

"Hizballah'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," he said.

"Hizballah'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.

"Proscription of Hizballah's military wing will not affect the legitimate political, social and humanitarian role Hizballah plays in Lebanon, but it sends out a clear message that we condemn Hizballah's violence and support for terrorism.

"We continue to call on Hizballah to end terrorist activity and its support for terrorism in Iraq and Occupied Palestinian Territories, abandon its status as an armed group and participate in the democratic process on the same terms as other Lebanese political parties."