UK to ban Sunni Islamist Hizb ut-Tahrir for antisemitism and promoting terror
Home Secretary Cleverly notes that group, already banned in other countries, praised and celebrated October 7 Hamas attacks
Britain’s interior minister James Cleverly said on Monday he had begun the process of banning the Sunni Islamist political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir, saying it was antisemitic and promoted “terrorism.”
The group is already banned in Bangladesh, Egypt, Germany, Pakistan, and several Central Asian and Arab countries.
“Hizb ut-Tahrir is an anti-Semitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism, including praising and celebrating the appalling 7 October attacks (on Israel),” Cleverly said, referring to the devastating massacres by Palestinian terror group Hamas.
If a draft order laid before parliament by Cleverly is approved by MPs, the ban will come into force on January 19, making it an offense to support the group punishable by up to 14 years in prison. It can also lead to an asset seizure.
“Hizb ut-Tahrir’s praise of the 7 October attacks and associated incidents, as well as describing Hamas as ‘heroes’ on their central website constitutes promoting and encouraging terrorism,” a government statement said.
“Hizb ut-Tahrir has a history of praising and celebrating attacks against Israel and attacks against Jews more widely. The UK stands strongly against antisemitism and will not tolerate the promotion of terrorism in any form,” it added.
On October 7 thousands of Hamas-led terrorists burst through the border with the Gaza Strip and invaded Israel, where they killed some 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and committed many acts of brutality and sexual violence. Until the Israel Defense Forces could mount a response, the terrorists also abducted at least 240 people and took them to Gaza as hostages, where most of them are still being held captive.
Israel responded to the attack with a military campaign aimed at destroying Hamas, removing it from power in Gaza, and releasing the hostages.
Hizb ut-Tahrir’s long-term goal is to establish a Caliphate ruled under Islamic law.
Founded in 1953, it is headquartered in Lebanon and operates in at least 32 countries including the UK, United States, Canada, and Australia, according to the UK’s Home Office.
The Islamist group has a few thousand supporters in the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority has also sought to clamp down on its activities.
