Britain Declares Hizb ut-Tahrir as a 'Terrorist' Group

On Monday, January 15, Britain officially designated the Islamist and 'anti-Semitic' group Hizb ut-Tahrir as a 'terrorist' organization. The UK Home Office announced that this ban will be formally implemented if Parliament agrees on Friday, January 19. James Cleverly, the UK Home Secretary, referred to the Hamas terrorist attack in southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, stating: 'Hizb ut-Tahrir is an anti-Semitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism - including by praising and glorifying the horrific attacks of October 7.' According to Cleverly, Hizb ut-Tahrir's praise for those attacks and its description of Hamas as a 'hero' on the group's website constitutes the promotion and encouragement of terrorism. The Home Secretary noted that Hizb ut-Tahrir has a long history of glorifying attacks against Jews. Reuters reported that one of the group's organizations in Britain did not respond to the news agency's email regarding this matter. Last month, Hizb ut-Tahrir referred to calls for banning its activities on its website as a 'sign of desperation.' The ban on Hizb ut-Tahrir means that membership or promotion of it, organizing its meetings, or displaying its logo in public is a crime, and individuals who violate these laws could face up to 14 years in prison. Under UK law, the Home Secretary has the authority to declare any organization banned, provided that the organization is 'linked to terrorism' and that the action is 'proportionate.' Hizb ut-Tahrir was founded in 1953 and is currently based in Beirut, Lebanon. The group operates in 32 countries, including the UK, and claims its long-term goal is to establish an Islamic caliphate under Sharia law. Germany, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan, most Arab countries, and several Central Asian countries have banned Hizb ut-Tahrir's activities.