The Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, which organized pro-Palestinian rallies in London that saw demonstrators calling for “jihad,” will be classified as a terrorist organization by the British government, according to an announcement on Monday.
Hizb ut-Tahrir, a revolutionary Islamist group working to establish an expansionist Islamic super-state, has actively recruited in the United Kingdom for decades, leading to then-Prime Minister David Cameron’s 2010 pledge to proscribe the group. Plans stayed shelved for almost 14 years until the group became involved in the organization of anti-Israel rallies at the end of 2023.
The new proposal, introduced by Home Secretary James Cleverly, will be debated in Parliament this week and will come into force on Friday if approved. As a result, expressing support for, or becoming a member of, the organization would become a criminal offense in the UK, subject to a maximum of 14 years imprisonment.
The move to proscribe the group comes after pressure intensified on the government following a pro-Palestinian October rally in London organized by the Islamist group. London’s Metropolitan Police investigated the rally but claimed to find no evidence of terrorism, and even defended the group’s chants of “jihad.”
Leaders of Hizb ut-Tahrir have previously made statements endorsing Hamas, whom they referred to as “heroes,” and promoted an end to the Western world order. The group is already banned in parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
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