izb-ut-Tahrir is an extremist organization that has declared jihad against the United States, and is dedicated to overthrowing governments around the world, replacing them with a Caliphate based on Islamic law.  According to Ariel Cohen of the Heritage Foundation, the organization is “totalitarian…akin to a disciplined Marxist-Leninist party, in which internal dissent is neither encouraged nor tolerated.”  New members undergo a two-year indoctrination program, where they learn the party rhetoric and are mentored by a senior party member, before they can begin recruiting on their own.  Operating in 40 countries throughout the world, the group’s hold is particularly strong in Central Asia, due to the region’s instability and secular authoritarian leadership, according to the Heritage Foundation.  The group is not a terrorist organization, and does not explicitly advocate violence in its teachings.  However, experts worry that the poverty and forced secularization in Central Asia, coupled with the authoritarian regimes in power, the methods Hizb-ut-Tahrir uses could change.

According to Alisher Khamidov of the Brookings Institute, the

“increasing suppression by secular authorities, as well as differences between competing factions within the party, indicate that the group could turn violent, or serve as a breeding ground and support structure for other violent groups in the region, such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) or Al-Qaeda.”

In the Ferghana Valley, where Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgystan intersect, fundamentalist groups have flourished since the fall of Communism.  After the Soviet collapse, citizens began to explore their spiritual roots, and religion re-emerged as a political and social force.  Unfortunately, the dictatorial regimes that replaced Soviet leaders outlawed, or greatly suppressed religious freedom.  An underground community of worship emerged in many places, and groups such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir, which had been around for decades, became very popular.  Along with this increase in popularity came an influx of western culture as well.  Shut off from the influence of western customs for decades, citizens of the former Soviet republics were exposed to the music, fashion, and movies of the United States and western Europe, along with its negative side effects such as AIDS, prostitution, and drug addiction.  This convergence of forces provided fundamentalist leaders with leverage in winning support for their groups.  According to the Brookings Institute report, “The U.S., Hizb-ut-Tahrir, and Religious Extremism in Central Asia,” leaders of Hizb-ut-Tahrir used this culture clash to illustrate the “spiritual degeneration” that occurs after modernization.

The most troubling aspect of HT is that its activities are conducted in secret.  The organization stretches from Beirut to London, and its “vast transactional network, underground organizational structure, and financial and technical capacities make it attractive sponsors to terrorism.”  The organization’s plan to establish a Caliphate involves three stages, according to the Brookings report.  Stage one is recruitment, where inducted members find potential new members, and urge them to accept the party’s teaching, goals, and mission.  Once this is achieved, recruits move onto stage two, during which they learn to spread the message throughout their communities and into the larger Muslim world.  Stage three is the establishment of Islamic law as supreme, with HT leaders heading up law enforcement, government, and media outlets.

An important aspect of HT, and one that worries outside observers, is the lack of dissent allowed within party ranks.  Given the vast network HT employs, disagreements are inevitable, but in order to become a “full-fledged member” according to Ariel Cohen of the Heritage Foundation,

“candidate members become well-versed in party literature during a two-year indoctrination course in a study circle, supervised by a party member. Only when a member ‘matures in Party culture,’ ‘adopts the thoughts and opinions of the party,’ and ‘melts with the Party’ can he or she become a full-fledged member.”

With such a structured hierarchy, and estimates for membership of 5,000-10,000 in Central Asia alone, the threat posed if the organization should adopt a policy of violence should be taken seriously. The Heritage Foundation report “Hizb-ut-Tahrir: An Emerging Threat To U.S. Interests in Central Asia,” speculates that HT will only resort to violence when a “critical mass” of cells is reached; that is, when the network is large enough and powerful enough to accomplish its ultimate goals, it will use violence to complete its mission, similar to the Bolsheviks of the Russian Revolution.

The secrecy surrounding HT is internal as well as external.  According to the International Eurasian Institute for Economic and Political Research article “Asking for Holy War”

“[HT] is so secretive and decentralized that its leaders haven’t revealed themselves even to their own supporters, and only one member of each of the organization’s five-man cells is in contact with a member of another cell.”

The article’s author, Ahmed Rashid, spoke with a senior leader of HT on the condition of anonymity, and the source revealed several interesting aspects of his organization: 

· The source claims HT wants a peaceful jihad, but contends that there will be a violent struggle because of the authoritarian leadership in Central Asia. 
· HT’s view of women is not as extreme as the Taliban’s, but the source acknowledges, “the Taliban have some good ideas.”  HU has supported Taliban members who fled Afghanistan after the United States invasion, and explains the differences of the two groups, saying that “the difference between us is that we want a modern life here on earth…the Taliban only want an afterlife.”
· The source claims HT has no connection to Osama bin Laden, but that he “supports all Islamic movements in Central Asia and he is very famous here for doing so.”

The secrecy and extremism of Hizb-ut-Tahir make it a threat to freedom in Central Asia.  In an area where government and religion suppress individual thought, require devotion to a specific doctrine, and squash dissent, citizens are left with few options to live as they choose.  After decades of Soviet repression and the resulting dictatorships, religion once seemed like a spiritual release from the state control of life.  Unfortunately, the strictness with which HT imposes itself on members leaves no room for original thought or exploration, and dissent is unheard of.  The anti-modernization and meticulous cultivating of members’ thoughts makes HT dangerous for Central Asia, and once its “critical mass” of membership cells is reached, it will be troublesome for the international community.