Visiting Muslim leader reacts to accusations and protests

LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: The man there were referring to in the previous story, Taji Mustafa, flew out of Australia to return to Britain this evening. He advocates the establishment of a caliphate, a single global government for all Muslims under Sharia law. His anti-Western views explain what motivates some of the protests currently flaring up around the world. Mr Mustafa joined me in the studio a short time ago.

Mr Mustafa, as you know, the Australian Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has called for your visa to be revoked, calling you a preacher of hate. Are you?

TAJI MUSTAFA, UK REPRESENTATIVE, HIZB UT-TAHRIR: That’s a slur on my personality. Do I look like one? I’m a very public personality. It seems as if in the UK we have politicians who are very opportunistic. And it seems they’ve got colleagues here in the – in Australia. I’m public, my lectures are on the web – and he confessed that he hasn’t seen any of my material. So, if they want to revoke my visa on the basis of my character, as they said in Parliament, they should come and have a cup of coffee or maybe a barbie with me.

On a serious note, it’s these kind of irresponsible statements that actually stoke up mistrust between communities. So, you know, I think opportunistic politicians.

LEIGH SALES: You represent a group that has a press release on its website titled, “Oh, Muslim armies, teach the Jews a lesson after which they will need no further lessons”. It goes on to talk about eradicating Israel and purifying the Earth of Jewish filth. That is certainly hateful, isn’t it?

TAJI MUSTAFA: Well, I question whether that was on our website.

LEIGH SALES: Well here it is. (Hands him a document).

TAJI MUSTAFA: Our position is absolutely clear. (Looking at document) Well, this does not look like our website.

LEIGH SALES: (Pointing to the top of the document with a pen) Well look at the address at the top.

TAJI MUSTAFA: Our position is absolutely clear. Our position on the State of Palestine, the State of Israel, is a clear one: occupation should be reversed. Britain went all the way to the Falklands to kick out the Argentines. The Muslim world will come together, will have a caliphate, there will be a state which will reverse, which will go into Israel – and there are people who’ve lived there for centuries – Jews, Muslims, Christians – will be able to live there, but there is a state today which oppresses, kills Palestinians, which has invaded Lebanon. The litany goes on and on and on. And I think the substantive issues are what we call for will bring stability to the Muslim world, will actually bring stability for all the people of different faiths there, but will remove occupation. We make no apologies about that.

LEIGH SALES: So, would that be violent, that process?

TAJI MUSTAFA: A state – Australia is in Afghanistan right now. Mrs Gillard has sent troops there. They’re not giving out candy to the Afghans. Look, occupation of Muslim world …

LEIGH SALES: But can I ask …

TAJI MUSTAFA: Occupation – the Australian Government cannot preach to any Muslim in the world about having a non-violent foreign policy. Come on; that’s a nonsense. There are many in Australia who are questioning that. We say that such occupations should end in the Muslim world. Australia should bring its troops back home. So should the US. And the Muslim world, doesn’t it have the right to determine its own future under an Islamic order, a caliphate? Which is what we advocate.

LEIGH SALES: But I’m trying to get to the bottom of whether – Tony Abbott’s called you hateful. I’m trying to get to the bottom of what your views. Do you think that Jews should be eradicated?

TAJI MUSTAFA: No. Islam has a long history of saying that Muslims, Jews and – the only time Jews lived successfully in the Muslim world, Christians lived successfully, was under the caliphate, under what we called for.

LEIGH SALES: What did you think about the protests in Sydney on the weekend?

TAJI MUSTAFA: I think it was concerning. Um, but, you know, this is a part of – it’s something that’s happening all over the world. And I think what’s actually good and important for a wider audience watching this or anything else to appreciate is why, why so much anger, why directed at the US embassy?

LEIGH SALES: So it’s not just about the film, you’re saying, then?

TAJI MUSTAFA: It’s not just about the film. The film really is a trigger for many deep-seated feelings about the actions of Western governments in the Muslim world. Many Muslims feel under attack – not physically on the streets of Melbourne or Canberra, but when they look to their brothers and sisters in Iraq, they see physical occupation. And eight women were killed by NATO troops in the last few days. Who spoke up for them? Then they see a film like this come out insulting somebody very dear to them, the Prophet Mohammad. Peace be upon him. That’s a red light. For us, it’s worse than insulting your mother.

LEIGH SALES: Of course it’s insulting and offensive, but does it justify violence?

TAJI MUSTAFA: Hear me out. If we understand that, that there is a context, that there is anger, that people feel under attack, why is it allowed to insult and vilify a prophet dear to, seen in a fantastically positive light, by over a billion people. Hence people see it as the latest in a series of attacks. So therefore they feel upset, and we believe people should protest peacefully, politically, should be a voice, should make it clear what they’re upset with and really should stand up for that.

LEIGH SALES: You said something concerned you about the protest. What was it then that concerned you about them?

TAJI MUSTAFA: Well we would like to promote peaceful political protest. So I think the original intention is not for any of these protests anywhere in the world to turn violent. I understand the feelings that people have, I understand the anger that exists. And what we try to do – we’ve organised protests ourselves. We had one in London yesterday and in other parts of the world and it’s to channel that for people to vent what they want to say, that the occupation of Muslim lands, the interference, the colonial interference of the US Government, the UK Government, the War on Terror, Guantanamo – this should end and Muslims should determine their own future under an Islamic order, the caliphate.

LEIGH SALES: I watched your speech on Friday on YouTube that’s been posted up there.

TAJI MUSTAFA: Alright. Which one? Which one?

LEIGH SALES: The one in Bankstown.

TAJI MUSTAFA: OK!

LEIGH SALES: Um, in it you said that American ambassadors should not be in Muslim countries. They should leave and go home.

TAJI MUSTAFA: Yes. Absolutely.

LEIGH SALES: Are you saying therefore that the US ambassador who was killed in Libya was asking for it because he was there?

TAJI MUSTAFA: No. We – our position, an Islamic position is that diplomats have immunity. Yeah? This is very clear throughout Islamic history from the Prophet’s time. My point about the US embassy is that the US embassy in many Muslim countries is seen as a base for implementing US policies. So, which country would want to take as friends a foreign government which is occupying part of its land, which is attacking its belief, its values, locking up its citizens, vilifying Islam? The US is seen as being at war – the US Government, not the people – Government is seen to be at war with Muslims.

LEIGH SALES: But in the case of Libya, should the Americans not have intervened there? You know, Colonel Gaddafi wasn’t exactly doing a great job for his citizens?

TAJI MUSTAFA: Colonel Gaddafi was backed by the British Government, trained his ministers by the US Government; Tony Blair meeting Gaddafi in the tent. So, the foreign governments of the West have a long – they’ve been joined at the hip with the worst, most brutal dictators who are oppressing people. They cannot lecture us about that. We have a vision for the future which is that – under the caliphate people choose a ruler. That ruler should be independent. We should have an independent foreign policy. Which means foreign governments, foreign powers, Western powers – the UK, the US – should not interfere in the Muslim world. We can trade and deal with the world, but controlling and dominating the economics and the politics, this has to end. I mean, people want a new future.

LEIGH SALES: Mr Mustafa, thank you very much for coming in.

TAJI MUSTAFA: Thank you. Thanks.

Source : .abc.net.au