An Islamic organization, labeled as a terrorist entity in several nations, is facing growing demands to be outlawed in Australia following its recent inflammatory statements accusing the West of ‘exploiting humanity’.
Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia finds itself at the center of controversy after organizing a public rally in November, a mere three weeks prior to the tragic attack at Bondi Beach that resulted in 15 fatalities.
During the event, several group members took to the stage to make provocative declarations, asserting that ‘sharia law is essential for a peaceful society’ and proclaiming ‘Islam as the universal remedy for both Muslims and non-Muslims’.
The contentious gathering, themed ‘Islam: The Change the World Desperately Needs,’ took place on November 23 at The Highline Venue in Bankstown, located in Sydney’s south-west.
Speakers at the conference criticized the ‘effects of Western civilization,’ accusing ‘capitalism of diminishing Islam’s influence’ globally.
Among the speakers was radical cleric Mohamad Trad, infamous for advocating a Muslim army and an Islamic state governed by sharia law as part of a ‘final solution’ earlier in 2023.
‘The ugly face of this capitalistic, liberal, secular, capitalist ideology. All of that has come to fruition in the eyes of the whole world In Gaza,’ Trad said.
‘Islam, it’s the only solution. It’s the only way for Muslim and non-Muslim alike’.
Radical cleric Mohamad Trad (above) spoke at the conference
ASIO boss Mike Burgess warned Hizb ut-Tahrir is a security risk
Another speaker, who delivered a video message while standing in front of a destroyed building in Gaza, said the West was ‘sucking blood and draining the wealth of humanity’.
‘They have seen how the slogans of freedom, democracy and human rights are nothing but a mask for an ugly face hidden by their politicians, the masters of colonialism,’ the speaker said.
‘The West possesses only one value, sucking blood and draining the wealth of humanity.
‘Even if it means standing atop mountains of skulls, rivers of blood, and paths of crushed bones.’
The speaker also called for the ‘overthrow of Western influence’.
‘Muslims are the only ones who possess a civilisational project capable of removing capitalism from its global leadership and taking its place to illuminate the world anew,’ he said.
‘The West fears our civilisational project; it has incited regimes against us.’
Hizb ut-Tahrir member Wassim Doureihi told the audience it was time to ramp up efforts to establish a ‘Muslim state’.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Hizb ut-Tahrir ‘disgusted him’
The controversial conference ‘Islam: The Change the World Desperately Needs’ was , held at Bankstown’s The Highline Venue on November 23
‘Brothers and sisters, please, the time to talk about Khilafah (Caliphate) is over. The time to work for Khilafah is now,’ Doureihi said.
‘Do the work… don’t do the talk. We are not happy trying to organise conferences. We are in the business of trying to organise a state. The time for talk is over.’
There is now mounting pressure on Anthony Albanese’s government to ban the group and deem it a terror group as it has been in the UK, Germany, Indonesia, India and multiple other countries.
Coalition Home Affairs spokesman Jonathon Duniam declared Hizb ut-Tahrir’s conference ‘should not have gone ahead’.
Mr Duniam also said it was ‘simply unacceptable’ the federal government ‘did not step in to stop it’.
‘The Albanese government has been soft on radical Islamist groups and preachers,’ he said. ‘It is simply unacceptable that they did not stop this conference.’
In November, ASIO boss Mike Burgess highlighted Hizb ut-Tahrir is a security risk and said the group’s Australian-based chapters ‘warranted broader scrutiny’.
‘Hizb ut-Tahrir wants to test and stretch the boundaries of legality without breaking them… this does not make its behaviour acceptable,’ Mr Burgess said.
Islamic Hizb Ut-Tahrir Conference held in Campsie, south-west Sydney, in April 2019
Hizb ut-Tahrir speakers said the ‘West sucks blood from humanity’
‘I fear its anti-Israel rhetoric is fuelling and normalising wider antisemitic narratives.’
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Hizb ut-Tahrir ‘disgusted him’.
‘This organisation has been propagating hate for decades and I’ve been publicly opposed to them my whole career,’ he said.
‘No government has been able to ban them as they didn’t meet the violence threshold.
‘The government is lowering the threshold, which means organisations which hate Australia and hate Australians will soon be able to be banned.’
