Regulator to investigate GP who led proscribed Islamist group

The medical regulator will assess the fitness to practice of a GP who headed the British wing of a newly proscribed Islamist group.

The General Medical Council (GMC), which regulates doctors in the UK, made the decision following concerns raised by the National Secular Society and others.

Dr Wahid Shaida, also known as 'Abdul Wahid', has worked as a GP in Harrow while leading Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, which was proscribed as a terrorist organisation last month. He also "trains newly qualified doctors".

The GMC summarised the NSS's concerns as: "the doctor is leading and/or involved in an organisation which supports anti-Semitic beliefs and encouraged acts of terrorism".

The GMC agreed this "does raise potential fitness to practise concerns" and "in the GMC's view, may affect the public's perception of the medical profession as a whole."

Shaida has already been suspended by NHS England, but remains registered with the GMC meaning he could still practice privately. He is no longer listed on his GP surgery's website.

NSS concerns over "extremist comments"

The NSS told the GMC Shaida had made "extremist comments" appearing to condone the October 7 Hamas attack against Israel.

In an interview, Shaida described the attack as giving "the enemy a punch on the nose, all right, and it's a very welcome punch on the nose". The YouTube video of the interview has now been removed.

GMC guidance states: "You must not express your personal beliefs (including political, religious and moral beliefs) to patients in ways that exploit their vulnerability or are likely to cause them distress."

The NSS also warned that Shaida had appeared to apologise for the attempted murder of Sir Salman Rushdie, who was stabbed by Hadi Matar in 2022.

According to the Telegraph, Shaida wrote on Facebook following the stabbing: "Those Muslims who have come out and condemned the attack are presumably motivated by the many Pillars of Secularism, that they are forced to adopt to have acceptability in liberal societies."

The NSS said Shaida also "bears responsibility for the output of his organisation".

Another member of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, Luqman Muqeem, said on social media the October 7th attack "made us all very, very happy", according to the Daily Mail.

Muqeem can also be seen in a video saying: "The UK will no longer be able to pump its liberal filth, its LGBT filth, its feminist filth into the heart of the Muslim world". Shaida is present and watching while Muqeem speaks.

Hizb ut-Tahrir "actively promotes and encourages terrorism"

Hizb ut-Tahrir was proscribed as terrorist organisation by the Government last month, making it a criminal offence to belong to the group or invite support for it.

The Home Secretary James Cleverly said "Hizb ut-Tahrir is an antisemitic organisation that actively promotes and encourages terrorism, including praising and celebrating the appalling 7 October attacks."

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said "Hizb ut-Tahrir clearly encourage and promote terrorism.

"Their celebration of Hamas' appalling attacks on Israel, going so far as to call the terrorists who raped and murdered Israeli citizens 'heroes', is disgraceful", he added.

Several men were heard chanting "jihad" at a Hizb ut-Tahrir rally in London in October.

Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain is supposedly mounting a legal challenge against the decision to proscribe it.

NSS: "Extremism has no place in healthcare"

NSS campaigns officer Dr Alejandro Sanchez said: "Dr Shaida's leadership of a terrorist organisation, in addition to his public pronouncements on the October 7 attack and the stabbing of Salman Rushdie, are entirely incompatible with his duties as a doctor.

"Extremism has no place in healthcare. We welcome the GMC's decision to assess whether the leader of a proscribed terrorist group is a fit person to be a doctor."

Press coverage:

The Sunday Telegraph: Doctor who led proscribed Islamist group could damage faith in profession, admits medical regulator