Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Pakistani Army Officer Detained For Links To Jihadist Group Hizb Ut-Tahrir

From Jihad Watch:


Pakistani army officer detained for links to jihadist group Hizb ut-Tahrir







"Pakistan's army has long faced accusations that it harbours extremist sympathisers within its ranks, and some analysts say the detention could be an attempt to persuade critics that these concerns are being acted on."



Pakistan is indeed under pressure to produce, and offering up an alleged HuT member does take the focus off of the establishment's favored (Lashkar-e-Toiba) and/or more feared (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) jihadist groups. "Pakistan army officer held for 'links with extremists'," from BBC News, June 21:



A senior officer serving in Pakistan's army has been detained for alleged contacts with banned extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.



Brig Ali Khan is being interrogated by military intelligence, the army says.



"We follow a zero tolerance policy of any such activity within the army," a military spokesman said.



Brig Khan, serving at Pakistan's military headquarters in Rawalpindi, was detained last month. His family say he is innocent.



The brigadier is one of the most senior serving officers accused of links with extremists in Pakistan in recent years.



"He is under detention and an investigation is in progress for his contacts with a proscribed militant organisation," military spokesman Maj Gen Athar Abbas told BBC Urdu's Asif Farooqi.



Hizb ut-Tahrir is a global Islamist group that wants to revive the Islamic caliphate and unify Muslim countries under Islamic laws. It describes itself as a peaceful political organisation - but its critics say it incites hatred and violence.



The group is active in Western countries, but the Pakistan chapter of the organisation is not particularly prominent, correspondents say.



Pakistan's army has long faced accusations that it harbours extremist sympathisers within its ranks, and some analysts say the detention could be an attempt to persuade critics that these concerns are being acted on.



The brigadier's lawyer told the BBC his client was being victimised for criticising army top brass after US troops killed Osama Bin Laden on Pakistani soil....



Posted by Marisol on June 22, 2011 12:49 AM

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