PROF DEFENDS TALK FOR RADICAL ISLAM GROUP

12-05-2008

A Birmingham University Professor has been defending his decision to talk at a meeting last night organised by the radical Islamic group Hizb-Ut-Tahrir. The organisation has been accused of promoting the execution of gay people and Muslims who turn away from their religion.

Details of the gathering – at the Noshahi Civic Centre in Small Heath – were revealed on the West Midlands based Ministry of Truth website.

They’re concerned that the event was being endorsed by the University’s Black And Minority Ethnic Student Officer Yasmin Patel – as well as being attended by Prof John Holmwood, the head of Sociology Department.

Hizb-Ut-Tahrir would - according to it’s critics – kill people for the “crime” of apostasy from Islam and homosexuality, and is hostile to Israel.

Ministry of Truth comments: “As I understand the situation, Birmingham University has one of the largest Jewish student populations of any University in the UK - clearly they won’t be happy to find one of the University’s professors taking the platform at an event hosted by an organisation that considers itself to be in a ’state of war’ with Israel.”

Professor Holmwood was unrepentant about his involvement, saying: “Birmingham is a city with approaching 50% minority ethnic population, and unless people engage with these issues, they will just go underground.

"Out of an audience of around 100 people, no more than 10 were Hizb-Ut-Tahrir members.  People appreciated that I was there to put the view for a secular society.

"If the proposal is that we shouldn't be discussing these issues, I'd say that's very problematic."

To read more about Hizb-Ut-Tharir, click here

DISCUSS HIZB-UT-TAHRIR ON THE STIRRER FORUM