Muslim from pro-Sharia, pro-caliphate group gives keynote speech at Universities

A RADICAL Islamist group facing a government ban has sparked outrage across the country after a senior member gave a keynote speech at the headquarters of Universities UK.

The Hizb ut-Tahrir is a Salafi movement blacklisted across parts of Europe and much of the Middle East for its public support of a caliphate and the introduction of Sharia law throughout the Islamic world.

Described in Government reports as anti-semitic, homophobic and anti-Western, the group has hit the headlines multiple times, most recently for encouraging British Muslims not to vote in the General Election, and praising the concept of jihad.

Hizb ut-Tahrir, meaning “Party of Liberation,” was founded by Palestinian Taqiuddin al-Nabhani al-Filastyni in 1953, with chapters operating in more than 40 countries, and has been described as a “conveyer belt for terrorists”.

The movement has incited fury once again, after its national executive Jamal Harwood addressed delegates at the Great Debate event, held at the Woburn House Conference Centre earlier this year.

The centre is owned by advocacy organisation Universities UK (UUK), which represents the higher education sector across the country.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is one of the organisations “no platformed” by the National Union of Students, with a number of universities cancelling events when learning speakers from this organisation are on the line-up.

Introduced in 1974, the NUS’ “No Platform” policy prevents individuals or groups known to hold racist or fascist views from speaking at NUS events.

It also ensures NUS officers will not share a public platform with individuals or groups known to hold racist or fascist views.

The union has only six organisations listed under this policy at present – Al-Muhajiroun, British National Party, English Defence League, Hizb ut-Tahrir, Muslim Public Affairs Committee and National Action.

It has emerged Mr Harwood spoke as part of a panel titled “Is the Caliphate a viable alternative for the Middle East?” alongside a professor from SOAS University of London, at the event held in April….