Doctor heading up British arm of Islamist terror group is suspended

A BRITISH family doctor who is one of the key figures behind an Islamist terror group, has been suspended from practising, the NHS has disclosed.

Dr Wahid Shaida sat on the executive committee of Hizb ut-tahrir while he worked as a GP in Harrow, north-west London, for more than 20 years.

The Home Office proscribed the organisation last week, leaving its supporters facing prison sentences of up to 14 years.

Dr Shaida chaired Hizb ut-tahrir using the name Abdul Wahid while training junior doctors at the surgery, GP Direct. In October, he led an anti-israel protest at which some demonstrators called for “jihad” and previously tried to justify the attempted murder of Sir Salman Rushdie. A profile of Dr Shaida on the surgery’s website reads: “Dr Wahid Shaida has worked as a salaried GP at the practice since 2002. His special interests lie in the field of medical education. He is a GP trainer for recently qualified doctors. He is currently the information governance and complaints lead within the practice.”

The profile has since been removed and the surgery has been contacted for comment.

An NHS London spokesman said: “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.”

Hizb ut-tahrir was founded in 1953 and operates in at least 32 countries including the UK, United States, Canada and Australia and seeks to establish a caliphate ruled under Islamic law.

Previously Dr Shaida has denied Hizb ut-tahrir is an extremist group, saying the word is used as a “pejorative term”.

‘We have procedures in place to make sure individuals are fit to work in the NHS’