HIZB UT-TAHRIR BRITAIN: "UK'S NEW ANTI-TERROR LEGISLATION EXPOSES THE WEAKNESS OF WESTERN IDEOLOGY" - 12th March 2005

New draconian anti-terror legislation in the UK that abandons principles that are the cornerstone of western societies once again exposes the deficiencies in the ideology of western governments.

The new legislation allows for the "house arrest" of suspects without trial, the use of dubious 'intelligence', probably obtained under torture, the withholding of evidence from suspects, the prevention of a suspect from defending himself and an end to the presumption of innocence.

Commenting on the new legislation, Dr Imran Waheed, the Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "Western governments claim the moral high ground in regards to human rights and the rule of law and seek to export their ideology to the Muslim world, yet abandon their fundamental principles at the first hurdle. They abandoned their principles in Guantanamo, Belmarsh, Bagram and Abu Ghraib - what credibility do western governments and their ideology have left? None whatsoever."

"It is high time that the word terrorism is stripped of its western meaning of violence against western interests and given its wider linguistic meaning of coercion through terror; Muslims rightfully feel that they have far greater experience of being the victims rather than the perpetrators of terror, yet such legislation will undoubtedly target Muslims."

According to Hizb ut-Tahrir sources, between 11 September 2001 and 31 December 2004, there were 701 arrests in the UK under the Terrorism Act. Only 17 people have been convicted of offences under the Act.