World Threats

From CAN:

The U.S. branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a radical Muslim group, is holding a conference at Oak Lawn, I.L. on July 19, Madeleine Gruen of The Counter-Terrorism Blog reports. The group, which is not listed as a terrorist organization, is in favor of establishing a single Muslim country, called a Caliphate, rejects democracy and has praised suicide bombers.

Gruen estimates that there are hundreds of Hizb ut-Tahrir members in the United States.

“Due to the fact that HTA’s operations have been largely clandestine until now, it has been difficult to determine the size of its ranks. However, several known members have
status and influence in universities and in their communities,” she wrote.

The website for the Khalifah Conference says the theme of the event is the “Fall of Capitalism & Rise of Islam.” It also openly states its goal of creating a resurrecting the Caliphrate but states that that Hizb ut-Tahrir is non-violent and “does not work in the West to change the system of government.”

 

The Telegraph, however, reported on September 30, 2007 that a former member of the group, Shiraz Maher, produced a documentary that exposed Hizb ut-Tahrir’s support for terrorism and extremism. The film shows that the group supports suicide bombings against Western military forces in Iraq and shows a speech given by the group’s leader calling for the “destruction” of non-Muslims in Kashmir, Chechnya and Israel.

 

“Hizb ut Tahrir despises democracy and believes Shariah law must be imposed over the whole world, by force if necessary,” Maher told The Telegraph.