Britain announces the removal of Hay’at Tahrir al Sham from the terrorist list
Britain announced on Tuesday the removal of Hay’at Tahrir al Sham from its list of terrorist organizations, a move that opens the door to enhanced cooperation with the new Syrian government.
The British government said in an official statement that the decision to remove the organization from the terrorist list aims to strengthen relations with Damascus and support the United Kingdom’s domestic and international objectives, including countering terrorism, combating illegal immigration, and cooperating on the destruction of chemical weapons.
This decision came after careful consultations with relevant partners and a comprehensive assessment by a government committee specializing in reviewing organization designations.
This step is part of Britain’s response to recent political developments in Syria since the overthrow of the Assad regime last December.
The statement also noted that the former British Foreign Secretary’s visit to Syria in July contributed to strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.
London affirmed that it will continue to push for tangible progress in combating terrorism and restoring stability in Syria and the region, while emphasizing that it will evaluate the performance of the new Syrian government based on its actions, not merely its statements.
It’s worth noting that Hay’at Tahrir al Sham has been on the British terrorist list since 2017, when it was considered an alternative name for al Qaeda.
At the same time, the British government stressed that ISIS remains a serious threat in Syria, and that removing the HTS designation aims to support counter-ISIS efforts and reduce the security risks Britain may face.
This decision is also expected to contribute to strengthening cooperation with Syria on the issue of destroying the Assad government’s chemical weapons.
This British move follows a similar decision taken by the United States earlier this year, when it removed Hay’at Tahrir al Sham from its list of foreign terrorist organizations.
At the end of its statement, the British government affirmed that the safety and security of the British people will remain a top priority, and that no decision regarding revoking a terrorist designation will be made without thorough consideration.
It also expressed its willingness to reassess any future decisions based on evolving security threats, while remaining committed to taking swift and effective action to protect national security.
Under this decision, laws relating to crimes of membership or support will no longer apply to Hay’at Tahrir al Sham as they previously did under the Terrorism Act of 2000.
This brings the number of banned organizations in Britain to 83 after this cancellation.
