Hardline groups are “weaponizing” Islamophobia and “cynically” using human rights to promote their ideology, the British government’s new counter-extremism tsar has warned.
Sara Khan said that extremist groups accuse their critics of being anti-Muslim, in an attempt to undermine “legitimate debate” about extremism.
According to The Telegraph, she said that the “use and abuse” of the language of human rights is “perhaps the most concerning” tactic employed by fundamentalist groups.
“Groups such as Hizb ut-Tahrir, for example - who traditionally rally against what they perceive to be western human rights - increasingly and cynically use human rights to promote Islamist ideology,” the newspaper quoted Khan as saying.
“They and their sympathizers weaponize Islamophobia in an attempt to shut down legitimate debate about extremism while undermining the general struggle against anti-Muslim hatred.”
The Telegraph quoted Khan as saying that Far Right groups also manipulated free speech arguments to “actively peddle hatred”.
She told how the far-right has “repackaged” traditional racism, adding: “We are now seeing increasing professionalism, international networks and funding and the exploitation of social media.”
Hizb ut-Tahrir, a movement which is proscribed in parts of Europe and much of the Middle East, has called for the introduction of Shariah law throughout the Islamic world, The Telegraph said.
The group has been described in a UK government report as anti-Semitic, and has previously encouraged British Muslims not to vote in general elections on the basis that it rejects participation in the democratic system.
The UK government has threatened to outlaw Hizb ut-Tahrir on several occasions, but each time has failed to follow it through with legislation, the newspaper added.
