What is the "politically correct nonsense" here? Giving a group the right to set up a display at a fair of some type? Where was this "bazaar" taking place? Do Islamic groups not have the same rights as others for self-expression?
From Wikipedia;
Hizb ut-Tahrir is an international, Sunni, pan-Islamist vanguard political party whose goal is to unite all Muslim countries in a unitary Islamic state or caliphate, ruled by Islamic law and headed by an elected head of state (caliph).
Taqiuddin al-Nabhani, a Sufi Islamic scholar and appeals court judge (Qadi) from Jerusalem, founded the organization in 1953.
The party promotes "an elaborate and detailed program for instituting an Islamist state" which will "establish the laws of the Islamic Shariah and to carry the Da'wah of Islam to the world." It believes this "comprehensive solution" will provide "sincere leadership that cares for and protects its citizens from the colonial foreign policies of Bush and Blair" and bring an end to "US interventions, energy inspired wars, puppet (Muslim) governments and western values forced by the barrel of a gun." HT is strongly anti-Zionist and calls for "the dismantling of the illegal entity of Israel," whose leadership "has never concealed its hatred of Muslims and have been calling for the destruction of Muslims since the very beginning." HT believes a caliphate "will provide stability and security to all the people of the region, Muslims and Non-Muslims" .
Certainly not a group that I follow, since they want to establish a caliphate governed by the teachings of the Koran. It shows why our principles of separation of church and state should be valued, and not mocked when people protest about religious items in public places. That is just another side of this same coin.
They are accused of being anti-Semetic, but they also reject that claim with a viable argument...
We reject decisively the charge of anti-Semitism ... at the same time we decisively reject Zionism represented in the form of Israel...The state of Israel is founded upon a land that it took by force, after it drove out its people, both Muslim and Christian. This is injustice, which we will never accept from an Islamic perspective, regardless of the race of the perpetrators. In Palestine, Islam is in conflict with Israelis — not in their capacity as Jews who historically had lived alongside Muslims in peace and security for centuries — but in their capacity as occupiers and aggressors.
They have not been found to be a terrorist organization by the US or Britain...
Global Security has stated that:
"The United States Government is continuing to monitor Hizb ut-Tahrir. Despite the statements of governments of the region, the United States has found no clear ties between Hizb ut-Tahrir and terrorist activity. Hizb ut-Tahrir has not been proven to have involvement in or direct links to any recent acts of violence or terrorism. Nor has it been proven to give financial support to other groups engaged in terrorism. Because of that, it falls outside the definitions used by the United States and others to designate a terrorist group.
According to a leaked unpublished government report produced for Tony Blair, revealed to The Guardian Newspaper printed on 8th August 2005, the prime minister has been advised that the party is not involved in violence or terrorism. A paper called ‘Young Muslims and Extremism’, was prepared for Mr Blair on the orders of the home and foreign secretaries. It says:
"Most of the structured organisations, e.g. Hizb ut-Tahrir, will not directly advocate violence. Indeed membership or sympathy with such an organisation does not in any way presuppose a move towards terrorism."
The document adds that young people attracted to terrorism may shy away from HT because they do not espouse violence, and would be seen as only engaged in "pointless pontification and debate". UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Bill Rammell agrued that;
“ "We have yet to see convincing evidence that Hizb ut-Tahrir as an organization advocates violence or terrorism. Nor are we aware of any co-operation between it and Al Qaeda."
They also condemned the 9/11 attacks...
HuT issued a leaflet on September 18, 2001 after the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York stating:
The rules of this Message forbids any aggression against civilian non-combatants. They forbid killing of children, the elderly and non-combatant women even in the battlefield. They forbid the hijacking of civilian aeroplanes carrying innocent civilians and forbid the destruction of homes and offices which contain innocent civilians. All of these actions are types of aggression which Islam forbids and Muslims should not undertake such actions."
So while this is an organization that has a goal that I would be opposed to (after all, they would ban the use of alcohol), if we want to protect
our civil liberties we need to protect
their civil liberties, as long as they follow the laws of our nation.
I just find statements like "politically correct nonsense" to be reflective of the general anti-Islamic sentiment that is so widespread. While understandable, it is wrong - and only feeds the perception that the entire religion is under attack from the West.
Oh, by the way, I applaud the work of the German and Danish police in monitoring and thwarting the actions of violent extremists,just as I do the same with our efforts here. Just use the lawful tools we have (which are already vast) and quit trying to trample on the Bill of rights and the Constitution in the vague name of GWAT.
