Rashad Ali: Terrorism? Well, clamp down on HT!

In the Observer today – which you will recall disgraced its fine liberal traditions and supported the Iraq war – Rashad Ali (pictured, ex HT figure) and formerly employed at the Quilliam Foundation, writes a comment piece saying that the main lesson to be learned from the recent attempted bombing of the Detroit airliner is to – wait for it – clamp down on Hizb ut-Tahrir.

Now regular readers of ENGAGE will know that we have little time for HT and believe that it is vital for British Muslims to actively participate in the UK’s political parties and democratic process, but what on earth has Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab got to do with HT? Rashad Ali doesn’t say. And just in case people feel inclined to point out that HT have every right – just like the rest of us – to promote their silly views within the law, Ali comes out with this strange line:

‘Obfuscating the issue with freedom of speech is perverse.’

Eh? Clearly possessed of a giant intellect, this one. 

But what is perhaps most worth noting from the Observer piece is that Rashad Ali is no longer working at QF but at something called ‘Centri’. What is ‘Centri’? Well, as it happens, Haras Rafiq – formerly of the Sufi Muslim Council – was speaking in Israel last month and introduced himself as being from SMC and Centri.

We wonder who is funding Centri? ENGAGE are looking into this and will feedback the information shortly, God willing…