London, UK, March 31 – Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, the non-violent Islamic political party, will join a demonstration against the visit of the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, on Saturday [1st April 2006] as she visits the UK at the invitation of the Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw. Hundreds of demonstrators will protest against the continued US and UK occupation of Iraq and the death and abuse of ordinary Iraqi?s at the hands of western armies. In occupying Iraq, western governments have completely discarded all international norms and principles that they had previously been preaching to the entire world.

Dr Imran Waheed, a media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "Anger against Condoleezza Rice is clear; Blackburn's Al-Hidayah Mosque had to cancel a visit, parents and students of Pleckgate High School demonstrated when she visited, and other protests are expected to follow her throughout her 2 day visit. People recognise that these are leaders with blood on their hands and they demand an end to Bush and Blair's occupation of Iraq.

Straw's hosting of this visit signals the continuing cooperation between Bush and Blair in their ongoing colonial aggression against the Muslim world in the name of the 'war on terror'. They now talk of a possible attack on Iran. Their colonial aggression will only end when the people of the Muslim world remove their repressive regimes and establish the Caliphate, a representative and accountable system of Islamic governance. The Caliphate will unite the people and stand up to the aggression of western imperialist powers."

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Notes to Editors:

This peaceful demonstration will take place on Saturday 1st April 2006 at 10 a.m. outside Blackburn Town Hall [Blackburn, BB1] and will be attended by representatives of various Muslim groups and the anti-war movement.