The Swedish press carries an interview with Tariq Rasul, a university friend of the Stockholm Bomber, Abdulwahab. Here, in translation, is what he says:
Rasul and Abdulwahab was not close friends, rather friendly acquaintances. Abdulwahab was just one of several young Muslim students who had contact with Rasul. They talked about religious matters, but also about other things. Rasul knew Abdulwahab had its roots in Iraq and that he was upset about what happened in the country.
There was nothing remarkable about the young student until 2004, when Rasul noticed something.
“He started hanging out with a guy I know was a member of Hizb-ut-Tahrir”, said Rasul.
Hizb-ut-Tahrir does not preach open violence. But their ideological and theological message is close to Islamist terrorists.
Rasul do not remember what Abdulwahabs companion was called, but the knowledge that he was a member of Hizb-ut-Tahrir made him flinch.
“They enrolled in college in the 1990s, but was prohibited from working there around 2002, “said Rasul.
Taimour Abdulwahab began to use the organization’s propaganda, and went on to become more extreme in his views.
Hizb ut Tahrir deny that the terrorist was a “member”:
Taji Mustafa, spokesman for Hizb-ut-Tahrir in Britain, denies that Taimour Abdulwahab been a member of the organization.
– We know who our members are and where they are. If he would have been a member I would have known it.
Do you know if he socialized with people from your organization?
– No. How would I know who he hung out with? says Taji.
But the thing about Hizb ut Tahrir, is that it only allows a small percentage of its supporters to become members, after they are thought to be “ready”.
Let’s see how this story develops.
