Combating the fanatics

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
Hizbut Tahrir, an Islamist group banned in Bangladesh in October 2009 has organized a ´demonstration rally´ in London on December 9, 2009 demanding release of the kingpin of this notorious group in Bangladesh, Mohiuddin Ahmed, who was placed under ´house arrest´ since the group was banned in October.

In a leaflet issued by Hizbut Tahrir, they are claiming that their ´leader´ Mohiuddin Ahmed is placed under house arrest for demanding the country to be an Islamic State.

Meanwhile, it is learnt from various reports published in the Bangladeshi media that, all bank accounts of Hizbut Tahrir, which were freezed by the government in October, will be automatically released if Bangladesh authorities will fail to lodge criminal charges against it by December 10, 2009.

Bangladeshi government is reluctant in arresting Mohiuddin Ahmed or bringing any specific charge against him for giving Jihadist instigation to people. In the name of house arrest, virtually this kingpin of notorious Islamist outfit is allowed to freely communicate with his party cadres and international contacts via phone and other communication devices from his residence. Hizbut Tahrir, although is banned in Bangladesh, activities of it is continuing in various parts of Bangladesh including the capital city. Law enforcing agencies are also reluctant in taking any action against those members of Hizbut Tahrir, who are violating the ban order.

Meanwhile, in Indonesia, hundreds of Hizbut Tahrir members rallied on the World AIDS day demanding implementation of Sharia law to prevent the spread of AIDS rather than condom use. They also demanded immediate closure of all brothels in Indonesia. Around 270,000 Indonesians are estimated to be infected with HIV, and AIDS has claimed about 8,700 lives in the Muslim-majority nation of 228 million people, according to the UNAIDS agency.

"We have to admit that using condoms is equal to legalizing free sex," Muslim Women of Hizbut Tahrir spokeswoman Febrianti Abassuni said in a statement.

In Bangladesh, Dhaka University's vice chancellor received death threats on Sunday from banned Islamist outfit Hizbut Tahrir.


The organization in two letters asked A A M S Arefin Siddique to reinstate central coordinator of the outfit and spokesman professor Mohiuddin Ahmed to his position in the university without delay. He has also been asked to take steps for releasing arrested relatives of some of the convicts in the Bangabandhu murder case. The letters claimed that Hizbut Tahrir has 200 trained commandoes. In another letter Hizbut Tahrir asked for removal of all barriers regarding admission of Madrassa students in the university. It also asked the vice-chancellor to get the government to release family members of the killers of founding father of Bangladesh and Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami [Huji] leader Mufti Abdul Hannan.

While notorious Islamist group Hizbut Tahrir is continuing its activities in Bangladesh despite the ban imposed by the government on October 22, 2009, another ferocious Islamist group Hizbut Towhid is continuing various forms of hate speech as well recruiting members for its planned Jihadist offensives in Bangladesh and abroad with its goal of establishment Sharia rule in the world. Sale of hate materials by Hizbut Towhid is continuing in Bangladesh without minimum legal obstacle. One such material named ´DAJJAL´ terms Jews and Christians as enemies of Islam and gives provocations in waging Jihad against them.

Hizbut Towhid, which originated from Bangladesh, has already established branches in a number of countries in the world. Main source of fund of this group is largely unknown though it claims that the group runs on donations from its members. Hizbut Towhid kingpin Selim Panni maintains links with a number of terror outfits in the world.

Bangladesh presently has a secularist party in power, which promises to combat Islamist militancy and all forms of religious extremism in the country. Though Bangladesh Awami League came in power in December 2009, there is no sign of its genuine effort in dealing with these Islamist groups like Hizbut Towhid with tougher hands.
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Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is an award winning anti Jihadist Muslim journalist in Bangladesh.

He is the editor of Weekly Blitz. This newspaper has both print and online edition reaching mostly policymakers, politicians, entrepreneurs, students, think tanks, civil and military officials, clergies and cross section of people in the world.

Weekly Blitz is the largest and most influential English language newspaper published in Bangladesh. Online edition of the only anti Jihadist newspaper in the Muslim world is available on www.weeklyblitz.net

Journalist, writer, poet, lyricist, author, film director, political analyst and peace activist, Choudhury, started his career in journalism in 1989 as the Correspondent of TASS, state news agency of Soviet Union. Later he was promoted as the Chief Correspodent of Itar-Tass in Bangladesh.

On November 29, 2003, he was arrested at Zia International Airport in Bangladesh on his way to Israel to attend a peace conference. Choudhury was tortured, imprisoned and denied medical treatment in prison. Government brought sedition, treason and blasphemy charges against him for confronting religious extremism, advocating inter-faith dialogue and demanding relations between Dhaka and Jerusalem. He was released on April 30, 2005 after imprisonment of seventeen months.

Although released on bail, Choudhury continues to face sedition, treason and blasphemy charges and the trial continues in a court in Dhaka. Sedition bears capital punishment [death penalty] according to law in Bangladesh.

Choudhury is the recipient of PEN USA Freedom to Write Award in 2005; American Jewish Committee's Moral Courage Award in 2006; Monaco Media Award in 2007 Key to Englewood City [NJ, USA] in 2007 and Key to Cherry Hill [NJ] in 2007 alongwith numerous local and international awards.

He has written a number of books on various issues. His book titled 'Injustice and Jihad' was published in October 2007. Italian publication house Neftasia Editore has published Choudhury's book titled 'Non Sono Colpevole' in May 2008.

Choudhury's latest book titled 'Inside Madrassa', which contains descriptive and elaborate information on condition of Madrassas in Bangladesh, Pakistan and other Muslim nations has been published in October 2009. This book is a result of comprehensive research by Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury for several years. Interested people can buy a copy of this book by contacting Blitz Publications, ediblitz@yahoo.com

In today's world, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is perhaps the most quoted Bangladeshi journalist in the international media.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Sun, The Washington Times, The Australian, The Berliner Zeitung, The Jewish State, The Jewish Week, The Guardian and many other leading international and regional dailies and periodicals have published numerous editorials on Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury.

Office of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury's newspaper, Weekly Blitz was bombed by Islamist militants in Dhaka [Bangladesh] in July 2006. On October 5, 2006, armed terrorists attacked the his office and physically assaulted him. On 18th March 2008, members of Rapid Action Battalion [infamous of extra-judicial murders] abducted Mr. Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury at gun point from his office. He was blind-folded and physically assaulted. Because of quick actions by US Peace Activist Dr. Richard L Benkin and Rep. Mark Steven Kirk and other esteemed members of United States Congress, Choudhury escaped RAB's deathtrap.

On February 22, 2009, Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury's newspaper office was once again attacked by the armed thugs belonging to ruling party. He and his staffs were physically assaulted and the attackers looted his laptop along with two manuscripts of his un-published books.

US Congress, European Parliament, Australian Senate passed resolutions demanding dropping of the false case of Mr. Choudhury and to give him proper security and stop all forms of harassments. But, Bangladeshi authorities in Dhaka, instead of showing minimum respect to such calls, withdrew police protection from the residence of Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury in May 2008.

He writes of several international newspapers and research sites.

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is regularly invited by numerous prestigious institutions in the world for giving lecture on various topics of his work. He is considered to be one of the very few counter-terrorism experts working on Islamist militancy, Jihad, Sharia rule and Jihadist funding. His efforts have been recognized by the United States Congress, Australian Senate, Canadian Parliament, European Parliament and other governmental bodies in the world.

Yale University [New Haven, USA], Rutgers University [New Jersey, USA] and Hudson Institute [NYC] invited Choudhury to lectures. He also has given lectures at AIPAC, American Jewish Committee, and Synagogues in USA etc.

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury has been interviewed in a recently released [2010] feature length documentary film named AMERICA AT RISK, which is produced by Citizens United Production, USA.

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