Hizb ut-Tahrir lashes Australian think tank study

HT logoControversial Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir has hit back at claims it may pose a security threat.

Perth-based think tank Future Directions International (FDI) says while Hizb ut-Tahrir does not advocate violence, its anti-Western rhetoric could pose a “socio-cultural” security threat by increasing the disharmony between Muslim and non-Muslim Australians.

In the long term, the group may pose a significant national security threat by indirectly instigating terrorist attacks, FDI warned in a study last week.

But Hizb ut-Tahrir says the study is riddled with errors and lacks proper analysis.

“The paper simply regurgitates a tired and discredited narrative about Hizb ut-Tahrir,” the group said in a statement at the weekend.

“The four-page article based entirely on secondary sources, primarily newspaper articles, reads more like a high school essay completed in a rush rather than a think tank paper.

“Bad research at best and cheap propaganda in the name of independent analysis at worst, the paper – whose author did not bother contacting Hizb ut-Tahrir for this work – is not worthy of a proper response.”

The group said the idea it may embrace violence is baseless.

AAP, 16 December 2012