3 days ago
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Cabinet curate Pat McFadden has told the BBC the authorities is considering if a violent designation should stay for an Islamist militant radical which led the overthrow of al-Assad regularisation successful Syria implicit the weekend.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) is proscribed arsenic a panic organisation by the UK, arsenic good arsenic the US, UN and others.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme connected Monday, McFadden said the authorities volition look astatine the designation successful the "days to come" and it volition beryllium a "relatively swift decision".
It comes aft Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the extremity of the regularisation of Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown and fled Syria connected Sunday.
The rebels efforts were led by HTS, an Islamist militant radical which is banned successful the UK due to the fact that of its past relation with al-Qaeda, erstwhile led by Osama bin Laden.
Under the Terrorism Act 2000, the location caput whitethorn proscribe an organisation if they judge it commits oregon participates in, prepares for, promotes oregon encourages, oregon is different acrophobic successful terrorism, and if it is proportionate to bash so.
HTS's leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, who has present started utilizing his existent name, Ahmed al-Sharaa, chopped ties with al-Qaeda successful 2016. He has precocious pledged tolerance for antithetic spiritual groups and communities.
When asked by the BBC connected Monday if HTS's designation arsenic a panic radical is being looked at, McFadden said: "Yes, evidently that's got to beryllium considered. They've been proscribed for rather a agelong clip now."
"The person of that radical has distanced himself distant from immoderate of the things that person been said successful the past.
"He is saying immoderate of the close things astir the extortion of minorities, astir protecting people's rights. So we'll look astatine that successful the days to come."
McFadden, curate for intergovernmental relations and chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, described the concern arsenic "very fluid" and said the authorities was not alert of what is going to hap successful Syria.
"But evidently if the concern stabilises, determination volition beryllium a determination to marque astir however to woody with immoderate caller authorities is successful spot there," helium said.
"I deliberation should beryllium a comparatively swift decision. So it's thing that volition person to beryllium considered rather rapidly fixed the velocity of the concern connected the ground.
"A batch volition beryllium connected whether their statements astir the extortion of minorities and citizens are backed up."
Former ex-head of MI6 Sir John Sawers elsewhere said it would beryllium "rather ridiculous" if the UK was incapable to prosecute with HTS due to the fact that of the ban.
Shadow overseas caput Dame Priti Patel said the Conservatives wanted to "put the Syrian radical first" and called connected the authorities to reappraisal the "security and defence implications arsenic good arsenic the violent risks" posed by the rebel groups.
McFadden besides confirmed determination had been "no request" for al-Assad's wife, Asma al-Assad, who was calved successful the UK and holds a British passport, to travel to the UK.
He added: "They're successful Russia. They've sought asylum there, refuge there, arsenic acold arsenic I know. So, it's not an contented that's travel up."
Sir Keir antecedently said helium welcomed the extremity of Assad's rule, but it was "early days" yet successful deciding however the UK would take to prosecute with those who person overthrown him.
"The Syrian radical person suffered nether Assad's barbaric authorities for excessively agelong and we invited his departure," the premier curate said.
English (US)