Extreme Islamist group flexes its muscles in UK

Two articles in the Sunday Telegraph this morning. Those of us who take notice of such things know they hadn’t, and wouldn’t go away. Or not of their own accord, will they go away. 

Hate preachers now a ‘priority threat’ amid concerns over return of Islamist extremism 

Hate preachers will be treated as a “priority threat” and tackled as part of the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy, amid concerns about a resurgence of Islamist extremism.

The Telegraph understands ministers are preparing to direct counter-terrorism officials to monitor and “disrupt” the activities of those who “promote fear and division”, without involvement in terror.

One former counter-terrorism officer suggested that the move could lead to officials and police attempting to prevent certain extremists from distributing material on the streets or holding large events, and challenging them when they speak in public. 

It could also lead to an “Al Capone approach” of pursuing individuals for offences such as mortgage fraud, for which Tommy Robinson, the far-Right activist, was jailed in 2014. Interesting to hear a mainstream publication practically admit that Tommy was pursued for an act which was wrong, but no worse than many a couple desperate to get on the mortgage ladder to house their family had done. The realisation that he was harried through the courts and into prison not for fraud but to silence the unpalatable truths he spoke is interesting. Neither he, nor the EDL, or any other of the groups who protested at the time ever advocated violence, and were never the perpetrators of mass murders and attacks. Thomas Mair,who murdered Batley MP Jo Cox, was never linked to any group. The finest offence archeologists of the entire left could find nothing linking Anders Brevik with an outside group. Jihadists are a different league. 

Today, The Telegraph reveals how Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist extremist group which David Cameron and Tony Blair both attempted to ban, has been stepping up its activities in Britain and is behind a campaign urging Muslims to support the “liberation” of Palestinians by “Muslim armies”. 

Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, the UK branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a global Islamist party which calls for the foundation of an Islamic caliphate and has been banned in some Arab countries, appears to be increasing its presence across the country.  Last month it organised pro-Palestine protests in London and Birmingham which featured calls for Muslim-majority countries to deploy their armies to “liberate” the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and Palestinians in Gaza.

One former counter-terrorism officer said Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain appeared to be becoming “more confident”, with its activists brandishing large banners and placards featuring with its name. Of course they are confident; they have been allowed to meet and preach and teach and protest with impunity. 

However, the group is not necessarily publicising its involvement in all cases.

Placards calling for the al-Aqsa mosque to be “liberated” by “Muslim armies” were pictured at a pro-Palestine protest in Luton last weekend.

But, while the placards bear a striking resemblance to those produced by Hizb ut-Tahrir for earlier protests in London and Birmingham, the versions pictured in Luton appeared to have black tape covering the parts of the placards that, in previous protests, had stated “Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain”. Photograph of Birmingham June 2021 from Hizb ut_Tahrir’s own website. 

Jonny Newton, head of government relations at the Community Security Trust, which monitors anti-Semitism, said that the group’s activisim in the UK had become “more visible in recent weeks”, adding: “There is little doubt that they have continued to organise and recruit under the radar and without significant scrutiny since the organisation was exposed as anti-Semitic and homophobic in the 1990’s”.  Never mind ‘woke’. Wake up.  2017 – Universities UK Headquarters:  2018 Hizb ut-Tahrir targeting inner-city youth in Birmingham and a National Roadshow tour: 2019 – Recruiting at Oxford University:

Mr Newton added: “Hizb ut-Tahrir is a global Islamist group, the leadership of which states explicitly anti-Jewish hatred regarding Israel.

Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain has issued recent material on its Facebook page declaring that it is “incumbent upon every Muslim to call for the armies to mobilise to liberate Palestine and all Muslim lands”. At one protest in Birmingham on May 16 an activist filmed himself calling for “jihad” to “remove the Zionist” so the “Zionist entity will be no more . . . We don’t fear the United Nations, British government. We don’t give a damn,” he said.

The 2010 Tory manifesto pledged that a Conservative government would “ban any organisations which advocate hate or the violent overthrow of our society, such as Hizb ut-Tahrir”. But the organisation has always denied that it advocates violence, and Mr Cameron did not pursue a ban following warnings that one would not be “workable”.

Currently Prevent, the Government’s anti-extremism programme, focuses on preventing people from being drawn into terrorism. The fresh approach is likely to encourage Prevent officials to intervene over hateful extremism even when there is no evidence of a link to terrorism.

The Telegraph also has an article about Ed Husain’s book today here. I have ordered a copy of my own due to be delivered next week. Once I have read it, if I have anything that might be of interest to say, I will report back.