Controversial Canadian Islamic group Hizb Tahrir Canada has resumed its annual Khilaf conference, which calls for a global “caliphate” of rule based on Sharia law.
Hizb Tahrir (the “Party of Liberation”) is a global Islamic extremist organization with a branch in the United Kingdom. prohibited It will be recognized as a terrorist organization in January 2024. The group is prompted Violence aimed at annihilating Israel and “liberating” the Palestinians, openly supporting the October 7 atrocities committed by Hamas. Its manifesto calls for Islam to “envelop” the world and impose strict Islamic law on all countries.
“Hizb Tahrir is an anti-Semitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism, including glorifying and celebrating the horrific attacks of 7 October,” British Home Secretary James Cleverley said in a statement announcing the ban in January 2024. I mentioned it when it was announced.
Although Canada did not follow suit by banning the group (the Canadian branch does not use a hyphen in its name), Hizb Tahrir Canada announced that it would hold a 2024 edition of the Khilafah conference after it was declared banned in the UK. We have decided to cancel the event.
The Kiraf Conference, whose name means “Caliphate,” will resume in 2025, but Canadian Jewish organizations are not happy about the news.
Promotional materials for the conference urged Muslims to “victory against today's colonialist superpowers” and told participants they would learn how to “overcome America, Europe, Russia, China and more from where they stand today.” I promised.
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“The colonialists will point to their technology, their huge army, their huge economy, and their far-reaching influence. But this 'power' is no match for the power of Allah.” Hizb Tahrir Canada declared He said this in a video announcing the conference, which has since been removed from the group's website.
Hizb Tahrir also has a branch in the United States and held a Kiraf conference in Chicago in March 2024. Anti-Defamation League (ADL) noticed The Chicago event “featured speakers who called for troops to invade and destroy Israel, justified the October 7 Hamas terrorist attack, and suggested we should go to Gaza to fight Israel.” It also included “blatant anti-Semitic rhetoric.”
“As we have seen with multiple terrorist plots in New Orleans and in Canada in recent months, radicalization is a serious threat to public safety. Pro-terrorist rhetoric and calls for violence regularly occur at demonstrations in Canada. “It's happening, but authorities need to be more vigilant than ever,” said Noah Schack of the Center for Israeli and Jewish Affairs. said canadian national post office on monday.
“We are calling on the government and national security officials to prevent Hizb ut-Tahrir from using Canada as a theater for its dangerous policies,” he said.
Shaq also asked the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to carefully vet speakers at Islamist conferences and prevent them from entering Canada if they are “deemed to pose a risk of inciting hatred or violence.” I asked him to refuse.
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The Khilafah Conference was initially scheduled The event was held on January 18th at a secret location in Mississauga, Ontario, on Toronto's western border, but public backlash forced organizers to move the conference to Hamilton, a small port city in Ontario. Hizb ut-Tahrir Canada has not explained why it chose Hamilton as a backup location.
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish was happy to see them go.
“This very extreme group is moving to another city for a meeting on January 18th. On behalf of all peaceful and respectful residents of Mississauga, we are relieved.” she said.
“Preaching hatred of any kind is a federal crime,” she noted. “All we can do as a municipality is not rent out our premises to potential hate activists, track where meetings are being held and report them to the police.”
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath wasn't thrilled about catching an Islamist hot potato.
“Since learning of this incident, I have been in direct contact with the Hamilton Police Department and are closely monitoring the situation to ensure public safety,” she said. said Monday.
“The City of Hamilton has strict conditions for all groups and organizations seeking to rent City facilities. We unequivocally deny access to any group that does so,” she declared.
The Jewish Federation of Hamilton said it had asked Mayor Horwath's office to “respond decisively and quickly” to the meeting, while the Simon Wiesenthal Friends Center and other organizations called on the Canadian federal government to In response, it announced that it had designated Hizb Tahrir Canada as a terrorist organization and requested that it join the UK. and shut down the annual conference completely.
“This organization speaks to extremism and radicalization that has become increasingly visible and harmful to Canadian society, and through its hateful rhetoric and incitement threatens our common values and public safety. poses a grave threat,” said Michael Levitt, president of the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center. said.
B'nai Brith Canada condemned the Khilafah conference as a “place of radicalization and hatred” and said it would work with the Canadian government at all levels to cancel the conference.
“We are working to close the conference, but if we don't, we will be protesting outside against a conference that has declared war on Western civilization, including Jews, Christians, and Sikhs. Hindus and all non-believers, including Muslims, who do not follow this barbaric doctrine,” Meir Weinstein said. Israel now promised.
As of Friday, it was difficult to say whether the Khilafah meeting would proceed or exactly where it would be held. Horwath's office and Hamilton Police Department said of hamilton spectator On Wednesday, the company said it had “no further information to share” about the event.
City of Hamilton employee said CBC reported Wednesday that “the group calling itself Hizb Tahrir has not requested the use of city space.”
Hizb ut Tahrir Canada rejected All criticism of this event is “false” and “baseless”.
“Accusations linking the party to terrorism, extremism and violent activities damage the party's reputation and distract from the party's call to establish Islam as an inclusive system of governance and mercy for humanity,” the group said. It's a fabrication aimed at deflecting.”
