West Bank, March 11: The hardline Islamist group Hizb Ut-Tahrir has challenged Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott to substantiate claims the group has called for the killing of Jews.
Earlier this week, Mr Abbott delivered a speech where he declared Hizb Ut-Tahrir a part of the “extremism” that so worried the west.
He told the United Israel Appeal dinner on Tuesday that Hizb Ut-Tahrir leaders had gone on the public record calling for the killing of Jewish people.
In a lengthy speech focusing on Jewish tradition, the one-time seminarian said all Australians were “in a sense” Jews.
“Abraham, Moses and David may not be everyone’s fathers in faith but certainly they are all our fathers in culture.”
Hizb Ut-Tahrir, a group that has long called for the creation of an Islamic caliphate, rejected the claims.
“Mr Abbott’s assertion against Hizb ut-Tahrir is an outright fabrication,” spokesman Uthman Badar said.
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“No one from Hizb ut-Tahrir has called for the killing of Jewish people.
“We challenge Mr Abbott to substantiate this allegation.”
——–Agencies