(Dari Straits Times interactive) OCT 4, 2004 Western-educated fundamentalists British and US nationals of Pakistani origin spearhead push for puritanical Islamic state
KARACHI - A new breed of Islamic fundamentalists who study at top British and American schools yet abhor Western values has emerged in Pakistan. The radicals advocate a pan-Islamic state and favour the removal of the country's pro-US government. Militancy and violence are not part of their agenda as they want to achieve their 'lofty goals' through a peaceful and non-violent struggle. But analysts say such men, fired by the passion of an Islamic renaissance, stand on a thin line dividing political and violent struggles. Hizb ut-Tahrir (Liberation Party), an international Islamic group with roots from England to Central Asia, is a recent addition to myriad radical organisations striving to enforce 'true Islam' in Pakistan, a poor South Asian nation. The group was outlawed in Pakistan in November last year, just three years after it started operations, but its members continue undeterred, distributing party literature and holding small meetings in efforts to expand their base. Pakistan, an ally of the US in the war on terror, banned several militant Islamic groups but most of them re-emerged under new names. Hizb ut-Tahrir has refused to change its identity despite the closure of its offices and the arrests of several members. British and US nationals of Pakistani origin make up the backbone of this secretive group formed in Jerusalem in 1953. It wants to establish a supra-Islamic state on the model of the caliphate as it existed in the early days of Islam. The group came to Pakistan through second-generation Pakistanis living in the West, Chaudhry, an Interior Ministry spokesman. 'Its members incite people against the government through their writings and leaflets.' But Hizb ut-Tahrir's spokesman Naveed Butt said to bring about a change, one needed political - not militant - action. 'We are being associated with militancy because we preach an alternative ideology,' said Mr Butt, an engineer from Chicago, where he was first introduced to the group in the mid-1980s. 'The best barometer of our success is that we were banned within three years of our activities here.' \-- Reuters -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PIONEER MEMBER MR ISMAIL Sheikh abandoned his career as a dentist in London and moved to Karachi in 1999 to become one of Hizb ut-Tahrir's pioneer members. 'We advocate unity of Muslims,' said the frail 34-year-old British national of Pakistani origin who was arrested for distributing pamphlets outside a Karachi mosque in July. An anti-terrorism court acquitted him on lack of evidence last month and he was back doing the group's work the same day, saying the arrest only strengthened his resolve. 'They questioned me whether I had links to Al-Qaeda or I visited Afghanistan,' he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NON-MILITANT STANCE MR AHMED Rashid, the author of a book on the Taleban, said Hizb ut-Tahrir is a movement based in Europe. 'Young Muslims living in the West get exposure to their culture through religion. I don't think they have any real popular support. 'Given the enormous number of Islamic schools and parties, it is difficult for someone like Hizb, which is seen as an import from England, to come in the field and make room for itself,' he said. He said that despite its radical ideas, there were no indications that Hizb was involved in militancy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/BRUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> *************************************************************************** Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. www.ppiindia.shyper.com *************************************************************************** __________________________________________________________________________ Mohon Perhatian: 1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik) 2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari. 3. Lihat arsip sebelumnya, www.ppi-india.da.ru; 4. Posting: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 5. Satu email perhari: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 6. No-email/web only: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 7. kembali menerima email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
