“Yesterday (Tuesday 14th November), the BBC Newsnight and File on 4 programmes aired false and counterfactual allegations against Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain. Amongst the sensationalist allegations was that members of Hizb ut-Tahrir have been involved in ‘street gang criminality’. We believe the allegations are not only baseless but emanate from a politically motivated group, interested in defaming our public image.

“In response to the allegations we have prepared robust counter-arguments to the main claims made. Please note: Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain was not given any of these allegations in advance and so was not aware of the specific claims until the broadcast of Newsnight.”

Hizb ut-Tahrir press release, 15 November 2006.

For details see Hizb ut-Tahrir website.

Interviewed (or rather, harangued) by Jeremy Paxman on Newsnight, Dr Abdul Wahid of Hizb ut-Tahrir described the accusations against his organisation in the BBC documentary as “off the radar”. “On another planet” would perhaps be more accurate. The fact that Newsnight should rely on the likes of Glen Jenvey and Vigil as a source of information says it all really.

Good luck to HuT in their legal action against the BBC.

Update:  See “BBC Newsnight and File on 4 misled public in their allegations about Hizb ut-Tahrir”, Islamophobia Watch, 1 August 2007