NHS suspends leader of banned Islamist terror group

THE NHS has suspended a GP in Harrow and a prominent figure in the recently banned Islamist terror group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

The action was taken against Dr Wahid Asif Shaida after the Home Office proscribed Hizb ut-Tahrir, leading to potential prison sentences for its supporters.

Dr. Shaida, also known as Abdul Wahid, chaired the organisation's executive committee while simultaneously working as a family doctor for over two decades.

According to reports, the suspension follows Dr Shaida's participation in an anti-Israel protest where calls for "jihad" were made. Additionally, he attempted to justify the attempted murder of Sir Salman Rushdie.

His dual role as a GP and a leader of a banned extremist group raised concerns about professional conduct and the safety of staff, patients, and the public.

NHS London confirmed the suspension, emphasising its commitment to taking professional conduct issues seriously.

“We take any issues relating to professional conduct seriously and have procedures in place to make sure that individuals are fit to work in the NHS. We can confirm that Dr Wahid Shaida has been suspended from the NHS primary care performers list," a spokesman was quoted as saying.

Despite being suspended from the NHS primary care performers list, Dr. Shaida, a GP trainer with a focus on medical education, faces no technical restrictions on working privately, it is learnt.

The revelation has sparked questions about the General Medical Council's (GMC) management of the case. The GMC, responsible for regulating doctors in the UK, lists Dr Shaida as "registered with a licence to practise," indicating that he is a fully qualified doctor with no apparent issues according to their records.

Hizb ut-Tahrir, founded in 1953, aims to establish an Islamic caliphate governed by Sharia law. The group is banned in several countries, including Germany, and the recent ban in the UK resulted from MPs supporting criminalising affiliation with or public support for the organisation.

Dr Shaida, despite facing criticism for his association with the extremist group, has consistently denied its extremist nature. The GMC, receiving complaints about his ability to treat Jewish and gay patients, has not taken further action, maintaining his registered status.

Since 2002, Dr Shaida has been employed at the GP Direct practice in the Harrow borough of northwest London. Residing in an £850,000 semi-detached residence near the same practice, he was previously known for his involvement in training future medical professionals, reported MailOnline.

Following the 7/7 bombings in London in 2005, Tony Blair pledged to ban the group, and in 2010, David Cameron reiterated this commitment, labeling the organisation a 'conveyor belt to terrorism.'

After Hizb ut-Tahrir's reaction to the October 7 attacks by Hamas terrorists in Israel, former home secretary Suella Braverman ordered a fresh review last year.

Braverman also criticised the police for not arresting the men, but Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley contended that no crime had occurred, citing the diverse meanings of 'jihad' beyond its association with holy war.