Those arrested for expressing their opinion now exceeds 800
On Monday the 13th of December, 1999 the Syrian authorities
(Airforce intelligence) undertook raids on the houses of the Members
of Hizb ut-Tahrir in most of the cities and villages of Syria. There has
been a series of raids for some weeks now during which time
numerous members of the Hizb have been arrested, their houses
have been stormed, their families terrorised, and those managing to
escape were being pursued. The authorities deliberately began to
take hostages from the families of the members that were being
pursued in order to force them to give themselves in. As well they
have taken residence in the homes of certain members and detained
their families. The arrests still continue incessantly. What is known,
until the publication date of this leaflet, is that 800 sons of the
Muslims have been arrested, amongst whom there are a number of
women who have been charged with affiliation to Hizb ut-Tahrir.
The arrests have been carried out in an extremely brutal manner, to
the extent that the secret service killed a Member in his car during a
chase. They have opened fire on some and killed an officer in the
army with his two assistants. In addition to this is the vicious torture
faced by those arrested by the interrogation branch. Furthermore, the
secret service department has placed telephone surveillance
equipment in the homes of the members and their relatives.
This campaign of arrests has come in circumstances where Syria
has entered into treacherous negotiations with the Jews. In the
course of which she is recognising the usurping of Palestine by the
Jews and the establishment of relationships of complete recognition
with their entity, let alone agreeing to the presence of American
forces in the Golan.
Fearing that the sincere ones in the Ummah will expose this policy of
the regime in Syria, it has undertaken a campaign of arrests in this
brutal manner.
O Noble Ummah: The Lord of Might and Honour has described you
as the best Ummah brought forth for mankind when you order the
good (Ma'ruf) and forbid the evil (Munkar). And thus you are paying a
heavy price to Kufr and its helpers by your silence over the Munkar.
And part of this price is the arrest of some of your sincere sons, your
dear sons who have assumed on their shoulders the responsibility of
making the change and bringing Islam back to the reality of life. The
imposition of the American hegemony over Syria and the region is
another part of the price you pay.
O sincere sons of the Ummah and those in positions of
responsibility: With your role you are as well paying and will pay a
great part of the price for the sovereignty of Kufr over you, at the head
of which is America. A costly price in this world and a great price in
the Hereafter, which is nothing other than the punishment of Allah
and His wrath for you. That is if you are content with this situation
and you accept it. The Messenger of Allah (saw) warned about
staying silent when he said: "Leaders will be appointed over you,
and you will find them doing good deeds as well as bad
deeds. The one who hates their bad deeds is absolved from
blame, the one who disapproves of their bad deeds is safe, but
the one who approves and follows is (doomed)."
The system of kufr in Syria is weak and feeble. The kufr is
working at this time to cement its influence and authority in order
to extend its life as much as possible through a new era. So take a
stance of truth and dignity, that will give you honour in this world
and dignity in the Hereafter. Support Islam and those who carry its
Call, so that Allah will be pleased with you and makes you pleased
with Him:
"Say: short is the enjoyment of this world. The Hereafter is far
better for him who fears Allah, and you will not be dealt with
unjustly even equal to the Fatila (a thread in the long slit of a
date-stone).: [An-Nisa:77]
Hizb ut-Tahrir
Wilayah of Syria
7 Shawwal 1420
13th January, 2000