Islam talks

ORGANISERS of a conference 'The Struggle for Islam in the West' to be held in Lidcombe this Sunday on American Independence Day, say they do not have time for "cheap labels, sloganeering and media sensationalism".
Addressing claims that the group held "extremist views", the media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Australia (Party of Liberation), Uthman Badar, said they were interested in "sincere and robust discussion".
Mr Badar said the group had been misrepresented in the media adding that most things to do with Islam were sensationalised.
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He said the conference would explore details of the how Islam was viewed and treated by Western countries, but the true struggle was in Muslim countries.
"Violence plays no part in this struggle, it's political and ideological. Islam is very specific and has a clear prohibition against the targeting of innocent non-combatants," Mr Badar said.
"However, when we talk about the invasion of Muslim lands that is a different context and the people who have been invaded have the right to defend themselves."
Bob Vinnicombe, a former One Nation candidate for the seat of Blaxland, said the group wanted to make the whole world Islamic and opposed democracy.
He said the party was banned in several countries in the Middle East and claimed security agencies in Australia had reviewed the status of the group in Australia during former Prime Minister John Howard's government.
However a spokesperson for the Federal Attorney General's office said Hizb Ut-Tahrir was "not listed as a terrorist organisation" in Australia.
"Consistent with longstanding practice, it would be inappropriate to comment on the status of any consideration given to the listing of this or any other organisation under the Commonwealth Criminal Code," the spokesperson said.
The Khilafah Conference 2010 'The Struggle for Islam in the West' will be held from 11am to 5pm on Sunday, July 4 ,at the Grand Westella, 12 Bridge Street in Lidcombe.
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