The Australian, March 19, 2007
Islamic group 'a threat'
Natalie O'Brien, March 19, 2007
THE Muslim group Hizb ut-Tahrir - banned in Europe, China and Saudi Arabia but
legal in Australia - has been identified as a potential threat to the nation.
Research has found it takes advantage of Australian tolerance to launch propaganda
attacks on the country and that its adherents are primed to take the next step up to
jihad, if called upon to do so.
The propaganda of the religious group, which is legal in Australia, encourages a level
of religious hatred that could convince its followers to carry out terrorist acts, says the
Australian Strategic Policy Institute. A paper by the think tank's Anthony Bergin and
Jacob Townsend says while Hizb ut-Tahrir does not advocate the use of terror - indeed
forbids its members from engaging in terrorist acts - it uses the same radical
terminology as al-Qa'ida.
The paper warns the group's Australian operations need to be closely monitored, even
though it defers the use of terror until a "caliphate", or order to militant jihad, by a
religious leader.
"Hizb ut-Tahrir may well act as a warm-up track for violent radicals," it says.
"Hizb ut-Tahrir advocates a revolutionary change to our social and political system. It
encourages indirectly and sometimes more directly political violence by its inciting
propaganda.
"It uses Australian tolerance to promote radical propaganda even against Australia
itself."
The paper acknowledges that Hizb ut-Tahrir has not been designated a terrorist
organisation in Australia, saying its members' proselytising has been on the
acceptable side of anti-terrorism laws. It also warns that, while the group
disassociates itself from individual terrorist acts, it employs a clever communications
strategy. "Hizb ut-Tahrir tailors its messages to different audiences," the paper says.
The group held a conference in Sydney in January calling for all Muslims in Australia
to work towards forming a pan-global Islamic state. Its radical agenda has prompted
NSW Premier Morris Iemma to call for Hizb ut-Tahrir to be proscribed.
The group, which claims about 200 Australian members, has been criticised by John
Howard and investigated by ASIO, but there has not been enough evidence to
designate it a terrorist organisation. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock has announced
a review of the organisation.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is already banned in several countries, including Germany, The
Netherlands, Denmark, China, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan.
It has been accused of infiltrating Australian mosques and urging Muslims to rise up
against Australian troops serving in Iraq.
One of the group's pamphlets, which was being handed out at a Sydney mosque last
year, blamed coalition forces in Iraq for creating the troubles between Sunni and Shia
Muslims.
The ASPI report says Hizb ut-Tahrir has been advocating the complete Islamisation of
society, but in Australia it has not been a successful recruiter. It says the group is in
the early stage of its program of spreading intolerance and racism.
The report says the group denounces other Muslims, Christians and Jews among
other groups, and the viciousness of its rhetoric varies among its leaders.
"Hizb ut-Tahrir has made Australia one of its many arenas for proselytising around the
world. It has plenty of time to achieve its goal, its vision is long term.
"We should continue to closely monitor Hizb ut-Tahrir. Such groups take advantage of
intolerance. Hizb ut-Tahrir is engaged in ideological warfare, they create an
us-and-them divide between the group and the rest of Australia, including the vast
majority of Muslims who do not subscribe to the group's ideology."
© The Australian
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