London, UK, June 4 2007 – Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain has written to the organisers and participants at the London Islamic conference (Islam and Muslims in the World Today, June 4th and 5th). The programme of events for the conference and the scheduled speakers makes it clear that this is unfortunately not a real dialogue.

Dr Imran Waheed, media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "Speakers at this conference include Prime Minister Tony Blair and David Cameron, who respectively co-instigated and support the global 'war on terror'; which is widely perceived in the Muslim world as a war to prevent the expression of Islam in any political form. Another speaker is Shaukat Aziz, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who is widely regarded as the mouthpiece of a military dictator dedicated to upholding a 'Kemalist' vision for Pakistan."

"Whilst the conference aims to examine serious questions about the international situation, it is notable that there is no voice expressing answers to those questions that will resonate with the the overwhelming majority of people in the Muslim world. A recent poll on www.worldpublicopinion.org clearly indicates massive support in the Muslim world for Shariah and a Calphate – i.e. solutions based upon Islam and in particular the political tenets of Islam. Those views are opposed by the neo-Kemalist regime in Pakistan and the instigators and supporters of the global war on terror and it is unlikely that they will be expressed by those conference participants who have to return to face regimes who have brutally crushed any expression of Islamic political ideas over many decades – for example in Egypt."

[Ends]

Notes to editors:

Copies of the letter are available on request.