Netherlands: Hizb ut-Tahrir threatening with violence

De Telegraaf published an interview with Dutch Hizb ut-Tahrir leader Okay Pala. I bring here most of the article, dropping issues relating to the worldwide movement.

There are currently 3,993 signatures on the Hizb ut-Tahrir online petition against the "slandering of Islam". ( signatures and comments, Dutch)

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The upcoming anti-Koran film of Geert Wilders is leading to much agitation and threatening language in the Islamic community. The vanguard of opposition is formed by Hizb ut-Tahrir (HUT), a movement working secretly, with an almost military hierarchy. Its followers recently spread a pamphlet calling to defend the "Noble Koran" and they are calling for an end to offending Muslims. "If this film will be released, then it's WAR!"

The Turk Okay Pala functions as the leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir in the Netherlands: "Who knows what will happen soon," he says this week, "The people won't take this any more."

Pala and his party members launched recently the campaign "Stop the slandering of Islam" and collected thousands of expressions of support on the internet. If it's up to Pala, minister Ter Horst (Internal Affairs) will soon get the petition. Then she'll get to see on behalf of the cabinet what one signer wrote: "What you need is a serious bomb attack".

The emotions are running high by supporters of Hizb ut-Tahrir. Mehmet wrote in the petition: "Hell will break out. Be warned." Nassira writes: "May Allah break the neck of Geert Wilders and the people who help him." And Hayat asks: "Didn't they learn a lesson from what happened with Theo van Gogh?"

The security service AIVD, under the jurisdiction of Ter Horst, follows up on HUT since the movement can form a danger for the democratic state. Wilders had called for a ban on them in the past, but the cabinet replied on September 2005 that the HUT is not developing anti-democratic or violent activities in the Netherlands, as far as is known.

Meanwhile the support is only growing and the anger is increasing. Recently the youth of HUT gave out a pamphlet in many places, reminding Muslims of their holy duty to defend the 'Noble Koran".

Pala is not thinking of a demonstration. "I'm afraid that we won't be able to control a protest march, there are so many angry and frustrated people. It's not only about Wilders, but also about other slanderers."

Pala is talking about Ehsan Jami, who founded the committee for ex-Muslims and is currently busy with his own film about Mohammed, and the exhibition of the Iranian artists Sooreh Hera.

"Such provocations can indeed not be tolerated," says Okay Pala, who says he wants to achieve 'more harmony' in society through his petition to minister Ter Horst. But at the same time he shows the true face of HUT: " All these types that threated us, hide behind freedom of speech. That is exactly the problem. We don't agree with freedom of speech, because we reject democracy! Our alternative is Islam. There is no middle way: we choose for the absolute truth, the word of Allah. "

The HUT has grown into a multinational, active in 40 countries. The 'nerve center' is in London, the headquarters in Jordan. In the Muslim world is strives to overthrow the governments, in the West it attempts to unite Muslims in order to prevent assimilation. Capitalism and democracy are sinful and must be fiercely fought.

According to the AIVD the movement operates exceptionally secretly and has a cell structure with an almost military hierarchy. "The ideology is characterized by virulent anti-Zionism, and intense aversion to secular governments and ideologies, the complete shunning of those who believe differently and prescribing a confrontational and strongly polarizing message."

In 2003 Germany banned the activities of the movement for spreading antisemitic propaganda which called for the destruction of Islam and the murder of Jews.

In the Netherlands the party is based especially on the largest Muslim community, the Turks. But, in an angry letter to Wilders in 2005 they wrote: "Among us there are also Arabs, Dutch, Sri-Lankans, Rwandans and a yet very long list of other ethnicities."

The executives are known to be highly educated. One of the editors of the HUT-website expliciet.nl is Dr. Abdullah as Siddiq, author of the booklet 'Het Samenleven' which calls against the separation of Church and State. The Dutch HUT publishes the newsletter Expliciet, which is full of the party rhetoric.

The activities of HUT are concentrated around Rotterdam, where in 2004 a riot broke out over a planned conference. After De Telegraaf reported that supporters of the destruction of Israel would gather at Feyenoord stadium, the reservation was immediately canceled. Short afterwards the HUT, for the first time, presented itself openly in a chaotic press conference in Rotterdam. All journalists present were recorded on video. Okay Pala spoke sharply against critics. The 'party ideologist' Ercan Tekin' and 'organizer' Ibrahim Tahtali were also present. The latter is known as the chairman of a foundation in Breda, which reportedly organizes conventions with radical preachers. Tahtali has meanwhile disappeared from the scene and has no known residence in the Netherlands.

Pala won't say where Tahtali is and refuses to go into the question about the size of his party. He himself joined after a turbulent childhood with bad friends from the drug world. "In the Netherlands you get very quickly to the wrong path."

Pala had to pledge allegiance when he joined one of the cells. Each cell has 3-7 members. Recruitment takes place in colleges and universities. According to the AIVD, one of the tactics of the movement is to secretly place as many followers as possible in strategic positions in society. The rigidly controlled, secret cell structure makes infiltration by the intelligence services extremely difficult.

Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)

See also: Netherlands: Fear of riots, police not to act against pamphlet, Netherlands: Hizb ut-Tahrir youth in campaign against Geert Wilders , Interview with former British Hizb ut-Tahrir member, Netherlands: Summary of AIVD report on neo-radicalism