On 14 May 2010 , the Russian news agency Novosty carried a news item stating that “Russian security services have uncovered an underground terrorist cell( in Tyumen -West Siberia) of the Islamic organization Hizb ut Tahrir al-Islami, which is considered a terrorist group by Russian authorities”; the statement further stated that “Russia, accuses the movement of having links to radical Islamist groups in Chechnya”.

It is ironic that the same news item mentioned that in the heroic “terrorist bust” “The official said FSB officers seized over 100 extremist pamphlets and books, banned in Russia, during the arrest.”

So books and pamphlets have become dangerous species, that is if you dare think and speak outside the official “Big Brother” Double speak then you are accused of being a terrorist.

The world over knows very well that Hizb ut Tahrir does not condone violence, nor has it ever resorted to any violence whatsoever in its long record as a political party. This is a matter of principle to HT as we are obliged to follow the methodology of the prophet Mohammed peace be upon him.

This is not the first time the Russian authorities have resorted to such blatant lies against HT activities. We trust that the intellectual political struggle of Hizb ut Tahrir will not abate until victory, and that no amount of dictatorship Stalinist brutality will succeed in extinguishing the light of the Islamic cause.

At the same time we appeal to the honest unbiased media outlets to expose the lies of the Russian authorities.

We openly declare the challenge to the Russian-Stalinist regime to prove its allegation of linking hizb ut tahrir to any violence or terrorist activity whatsoever.

Osman Bakhash

Director of the Central Media Office of

Hizb ut-Tahrir