The president of Middlesex University’s student union was suspended indefinitely as a student on Tuesday after refusing to cancel a debate with a Muslim organisation the Government wants to ban. Michael Driscoll, the university’s vice-chancellor told Keith Shilson on Monday to withdraw the union’s invitation to Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) to take part in a ‘Question Time’ at its campus in The Burroughs, Hendon, otherwise the meeting would be banned. But Mr Shilson, a final-year politics and history student refused, saying there was no evidence to suggest the group whose name translates as ‘party of liberation’ is linked to terrorism. He was escorted off the premises by security staff. The university said it was taking this step in light of concerns over the organisation’s reputation for extremist views.

This is Hertfordshire, 22 September 2005

See also Guardian, 21 September 2005 and MPACUK, 21 September 2005