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‘Their views about suicide bombing needs to be of concern, as a result of upon getting an thought like that out within the political area, it’s not controllable,’ says former Hizb ut-Tahrir chief
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Revealed Jan 06, 2025 • Final up to date 25 minutes in the past • 7 minute learn
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A screenshot from the Hizb Ut Tahrir Canada’s Instagam video selling its upcoming 2025 Khilafah Convention in Hamilton. Photograph by Hizb Ut Tahrir /Instagram
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A controversial Canadian Islamic group is resurrecting its annual convention calling for the return of an Islamic caliphate and imposition of Shariah regulation that was abruptly cancelled final 12 months after its sister group was declared a terrorist entity in Britain.
Each the convention and the group internet hosting it — at a secret location on Jan. 18 — are inflicting alarm over militancy, antisemitism and views on terrorism, bringing requires the gathering to be cancelled and the group to be listed as a terrorist group.
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Hizb ut Tahrir Canada, the Canadian department of Hizb ut-Tahrir, a world Islamic revolutionary group, is distributing free tickets to its Khilafah Convention 2025. Khilafah is the Arabic phrase for caliphate, referring to a Muslim area ruled underneath Islamic non secular regulation.
A promotional video for the convention says “colonialist powers” concern the worldwide Muslim group turning to political and navy motion. The video fondly evokes outdated battles of Muslim armies preventing European powers.
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The group is seen as starkly antisemitic, hawkish on eradicating Israel, rejecting worldwide cooperation and intervention, and approving of parts of Islamic militant jihadi motion.
Organizers of the convention didn’t reply to requests for touch upon the convention and considerations about its content material previous to deadline. The Hizb ut-Tahrir central world media workplace in Beirut didn’t reply to a request for remark. The central workplace lists media contacts in 29 international locations, however none for Canada.
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Final 12 months’s Hizb ut Tahrir Canada’s Khilafah convention was abruptly cancelled by organizers after Britain’s proscription order towards Hizb ut-Tahrir underneath the Terrorism Act. (Canada’s department doesn’t use a hyphen in its title and has not been designated a terrorist group in Canada.)
In making the 2024 declaration, U.Okay. House Secretary James Cleverly mentioned: “Hizb ut-Tahrir is an antisemitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism, including praising and celebrating the appalling 7 October attacks.”
Some Jewish teams in Canada say the identical could be mentioned in Canada.
“The organization is notorious for its antisemitic character, most recently seen in its celebration of the Oct. 7th massacre in Israel,” mentioned Noah Shack, interim president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, a Canadian Jewish advocacy group.
“As we saw in New Orleans and in multiple terror plots disrupted in Canada in recent months, radicalization is a serious threat to public safety. At a time when demonstrations in Canada are regularly featuring pro-terrorist rhetoric and calls for violence, authorities need to be more vigilant than ever.
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“We are urging the government and national security authorities to prevent Hizb ut-Tahrir from using Canada as a platform for its dangerous agenda,” mentioned Shack.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is an antisemitic, banned terrorist org within the UK.
It needs to be listed as an unlawful terror org in Canada and NEVER allowed to advertise its harmful agenda right here.
We’re partaking authorities and safety authorities to take all steps to stop Hizb ut-Tahrir’s…
— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) January 5, 2025
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CIJA additionally urged Ottawa so as to add the group to Canada’s checklist of designated terror organizations.
Hizb ut Tahrir’s promotional supplies name for Muslims to hitch in a world Islamic caliphate to “become victorious against today’s Colonialist superpowers.” On the convention attendees will “learn what it will take for our Ummah to overcome America, Europe, Russia, China, and others from the position we’re in today.” (Ummah is an Arabic phrase that means the entire Muslim group.)
Its supplies confer with Israel solely as “the Zionist entity” and in addition manufacturers present leaders of Islamic international locations “cowards” and “tyrant rulers of the Muslim lands.”
The convention was initially scheduled for Mississauga, simply outdoors Toronto, at a location not publicly disclosed.
Over the weekend, a brand new promotional video on Instagram mentioned the placement has been modified to Hamilton. These registered for the convention are instructed to observe their e mail inbox to study the place it is going to be held.
“This very extreme group are moving on to another City for their Jan. 18th conference. On behalf of all the peaceful and respectful residents of Mississauga, we are relieved,” Mississauga’s mayor, Carolyn Parrish, mentioned on social media.
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It seems that Hizb ut Tahrir convention of extremists had moved on to a different Metropolis. Location in Hamilton to be determined. I’m happy that the peaceable and respectful residents of Mississauga won’t should endure the autumn out. pic.twitter.com/9CPxoWRlIK
— Mayor Carolyn Parrish (@carolynhparrish) January 5, 2025
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Parrish instructed Postmedia that metropolis employees had checked to ensure the convention was not booked at a city-run facility and had been looking for out what personal facility was internet hosting the convention to alert them to considerations concerning the group. Town additionally alerted Pearson airport authorities to “carefully monitor passports to deny entry to those on Canada’s banned lists.” The airport is within the metropolis’s boundary.
Andrea Horwath, mayor of Hamilton, spoke out towards the convention Monday morning.
“It has come to my attention that there is a planned event in Hamilton, which has raised significant concerns for me and our community. Since learning of this event, I have been in direct communication with Hamilton Police Service, who are closely monitoring the situation to ensure public safety,” Horwath mentioned. She mentioned such a convention can’t be held in a city-owned facility.
“We unequivocally refuse access to any group that engages in or promotes hatred or any form of divisive behaviour,” she mentioned in an announcement, with out indicating if a metropolis facility has been booked. (Horwath’s assertion didn’t title the occasion or the group she is complaining of however metropolis officers confirmed she is speaking about Hizb ut Tahrir’s Khilafah convention.)
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“Hamilton is a city that stands firmly against intolerance. We are committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all. As mayor, I have consistently spoken out against hate in all its forms and will continue to do so unequivocally. There is absolutely no place in our city for individuals or groups spreading messages of division or intolerance.”
Maureen Wilson, a Hamilton metropolis councillor, was direct in her condemnation: “We must unite and unequivocally tell them to get out and get lost. Let no door be open to them,” she posted on social media.
The Hamilton Jewish Federation mentioned its group urges the town to observe Mississauga’s lead and to “respond decisively and swiftly” towards the convention. “It is critical that Hamilton upholds its commitment to safety, inclusivity, and standing firm against hate and extremism.”
Rashad Ali, a former chief with the Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain — who now works in extremist deradicalization — mentioned the hassle to deliver again the convention means the group has adjusted to life after the British terrorist declaration and is re-engaging publicly.
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“They’ll have determined exactly what their legal situation and circumstances are,” Ali mentioned in an interview. “It was a year ago. They would have had time to draw up a policy and determine what actions they can and shouldn’t do. I think they’ve determined that they can continue their activism.”
He mentioned the main focus of Hizb ut-Tahrir, Arabic for “Party of Liberation,” is revolution in international locations with giant Muslim populations to spur their unification to revive the medieval Muslim empire. Their curiosity in Canada is to make use of the nation to unfold its message, achieve affect, and encourage change in Muslim-majority international locations.
Though nominally a political occasion, the group rejects democracy and the electoral course of. “The only way (to power) is by the overthrow of government by revolution,” mentioned Ali.
Requested if he thought the Khilafah convention was a hazard to Canada or Canadians, he mentioned it a tough query to reply.
“I don’t think in and of itself it causes security concern. However, there are considerable things about it which should be of concern.
Their views about political violence should be of concern because there’s an ambiguity about how they feel towards certain types of terrorism.
“Their views about suicide bombing should be of concern, because once you have an idea like that out in the political domain, it’s not controllable.
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“Also, they are a retarding influence on Muslim communities, in the sense of their ideas about democracy and human rights and political participation… and (that is) damaging for integration and social cohesion.”
Ali mentioned he expects Hizb ut Tahrir to make use of present protests over the Israel-Hamas battle in Gaza to drive recruitment.
The theme for the convention is “Khilafah: Eliminating the obstacles that are delaying its return,” which is identical because the title of the cancelled present final 12 months. Two of the marketed audio system are additionally the identical, Bilal Khan, and Malik Abu Luqman.
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A report on a convention of the identical title and theme hosted by the U.S. department of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Chicago in March was criticized afterwards by the Anti-Defamation League, a U.S. antisemitism group.
The U.S. convention “featured speakers who called for an army to invade and destroy Israel, justified the October 7 Hamas terror attack, suggested men should travel to Gaza to fight Israel, implored followers to ‘resist’ the ‘LGBT genderism…agenda driven by the UN’ and, in several cases, espoused overt antisemitic rhetoric,” the ADL mentioned in a printed report following the convention.
The ADL alleged that one of many audio system who’s scheduled to talk in Canada this month, Abu Omar, “strongly suggested listeners use their ‘power…and abilities’ to physically fight against Israel, and, barring that, should use their voices.”
Tickets are listed as being free, with babysitting and lunch included.
Tickets are distributed in segregated classes, with female and male tickets listed individually. Kids’s tickets are divided by age, eight and underneath and 9 to 12.
Tickets for the five-and-a-half-hour occasion are distributed by way of Eventbrite, a web based ticketing portal.
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