The United Kingdom has officially designated the Islamic Liberation Party as a banned terrorist organization, with parliamentary approval.
The decision was announced by British Home Secretary James Cleverly on Monday.
Cleverly’s statement referenced the attacks carried out by the Palestinian movement Hamas against Israel and stated that the Islamic Liberation Party is an anti-Semitic organization that promotes and encourages terrorism, including praising and celebrating the horrific attacks of October 7th.
The Home Secretary emphasized that the group’s praise for these attacks and its labeling of Hamas as heroes on its website constitute incitement to terrorism.
This designation means that belonging to the group, promoting it, arranging its meetings, and displaying its logo in public places will be considered criminal offenses in the United Kingdom.
The organization’s UK representative did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment. Last month, the group described the call for its ban as a “sign of desperation” on its website.
Those who violate the rules may face a prison sentence of up to 14 years.
According to the government’s website, Cleverly has the authority to ban an organization under UK law if he believes the group has interests related to terrorism.
The Home Office stated that the Islamic Liberation Party, founded in 1953 and headquartered in Lebanon, operates in 32 countries, including the UK.
The group has previously been banned in Germany, Egypt, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and several Central Asian and Arab countries.
