Singing the national anthem is forced assimilation, says Hizb ut-Tahrir spokesman Uthman Badar

Uthman Badar, the spokesman for the radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir / Picture: Ross Schultz

MUSLIM children required to sing the Australian national anthem at school is “forced assimilation”, the spokesman from radical Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir said yesterday.

Uthman Badar, speaking at an Innocent Until Proven Muslim forum, made the statement to hundreds of supporters in Bankstown.

He decried deradicalisation programs, saying they were based on “exaggerated fears of a security threat”.

Packed to capacity... yesterday’s Innocent Until Proven Muslim forum

Another spokesman, Hamzah Quereshi, told The Daily Telegraph: “The Australian anthem is based upon a particular view in history, it is a reading of history, and it is a statement which conforms to particular values. Now, if one does not share those values, why would they express it?

‘All talk of national security and terrorism is wholly exaggerated.....politicians are pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes’

“If I was to ask you to declare a praise of God and you did not believe in God you would naturally not do so, because that is not an expression of your values.”

Mr Quereshi said the key message of the conference was talk about national security and terrorism was just that, talk.

Items from Supermax prison exhibition displayed at yesterday’s forum.

“All talk of national security and terrorism is wholly exaggerated, is blown entirely out of proportion and is essentially used as a smoke screen that deflects attention from the real and serious issues that this country does face, issues of domestic violence, where up until September this year 63 women had been killed by current or ex partners,” he said.

“What is occurring is that a booger man is being created about terrorism, where it has been inflated such that it obscures attention on other issues and Australians should be deeply offended that politicians are pulling the wool over everyone’s eyes.”

Olisyah Azis speaking at the Innocent Until Proven Muslim forum

Uthman Badar addresses forum in Lidcombe. Picture: Facebook

Ustadh Ismail Alwahwah, Ataman Atlas and Wassim Doureihi. Photographer:Adam Yip.

Hizb ut-Tahrir, which supports an Islamic caliphate, also released a handbook on how to avoid ASIO agents and offering legal advice for Muslims targeted in terror raids.

The 36-page book, organised with their Government Intervention In The Muslim Community group (GIMC), advises target youths on how to “handle an ASIO agent”.                                           (Courtesy: The DailyTelegraph, Sydney)