Name of Organization

Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA)/ harkat ul mujahedin (HuM)

Formation

Formerly known as Harkat-ul-mujahedin (HuM), in 2001 changed its name as Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) amid the sanctions on HuM, by Pakistani government. But in 2003, Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA ) was also banned.[1] Originally it was founded in 1985, in central Punjab with the name Harakat-ul-Mujahidin (HuM).[2]

Leadership

Leaders:

1)      Fazlur Rehman Khalil (1989 to 2000): he was the leader of HuM. He was also believed to be one of the commanders of Harakat ul-Ansar (HuA). He had strong links with Osama bin Laden. He left HuM in 2000. He was a student of Binori madrassa in Karachi, and was involved in Jihad against Soviet Union during Soviet-Afghan War. He played his role as a coordinator between Benazir Bhutto Regime and Taliban Administration in Afghanistan during early 1990s. Khalil guided many fighters to fight against the US after the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. He Returned to Pakistan in 2002 after the fall of Taliban regime. Since then he has been hiding from US’ as he is accused of harbouring terrorist activities.[3]  

374756-MaulanaFazlurRehmanKhalil-1336252229-535-640x480.jpg

                   Fazlur Rehman Khalil (1989 to 2000)[4]

 

2)      Maulana Saadatullah Khan (1997 to present): khan was a leader of Harakat ul-Ansar (HuA), but after the breakdown of HuA, it is assumed that he has been given the role of top commander of HuM in Kashmir.[5]

3)      Farooq Kashmiri (2000 to Present): After Khalil step down from HuM leadership Farooq Kashmiri became the commander. But these reports cannot be confirmed.[6]

School of thought/ Classification

Sunni Deobandi[7]

/Nationalist/Separatist, Religious[8]

Ideology

JuA/HuM is a terrorist, separatists’ organization; they are fighting to separate the occupied Kashmir from India. They are also part of Global Jihadist movement and have strong links with other terrorist organizations Like Al-Qaeda. They are involved in terrorist activities and fostering terrorism against the US, West and secular regime of Muslim countries. It is evident from the fact that their Leader, Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil’ was a signatory to the Fatwa issued by Osama bin Laden of Waging Jihad against The US in 1998.[9]

Status

Banned but active, the group was first proscribed by the US in 1997 amid its relation with AL-Qaeda, they changed their name to Harakat-ul-Ansar (HuA). After 9/11 the group was banned again by the US and Pakistani authorities alike. This time they again changed their name to escape the embargo and release of freeze assets in 2003, they started working under the name of Jamiat-ul-Ansar (JuA), they were shortly banned then after.[10]

Framework

Unknown.

Financial resources

 

JuA/HuM collects donations from Pakistani and Kashmiri people, and is also involved in legal businesses.[11]They are also funded by sympathizers from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf and Islamic countries.[12]

Recruitment tools & demographics

Most of the members of JuA/HuM are from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indian occupied Jammu&Kashmir. But they also recruit militants from different other regions of the world like South-East Asia, Europe and US.[13]

Connections & linkages

JuA/HuM has links with other terrorist groups like Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan and Al-Qaeda and has extended its support to them to fight in Afghanistan, Kashmir and Pakistan.[14]

Areas of Operation

Pakistan, India, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, UK and Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1990s.[15]

Tools 

Magazines, pamphlets and web,[16]

Name Variations

Also known as: Al-Faran, Al-Hadid, Al-Hadith, Harakat ul-Ansar, Harakat ul-Mujahideen; Harakat ul-Mujahidin.[17]

 

Who they are

The group HuM/JuA was initially involved in Afghan Jihad during soviet-Afghan war in 1980s. After the end of Jihad they directed their weapons towards Indian occupied Kashmir and they seek to separate the Indian occupied Kashmir from India, and its accession into Pakistan to found an Islamic state. They are also fighting and wagging Jihad against secular regimes in Islamic states and are part of global jihadist movement having links with many other terrorist organizations.[18][19]

History

Formerly known as Harkat ul mujahedin (HuM), changed its name in 2003, as Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA), amid the sanctions on HuM by Pakistani government. But in 2003 JuA was also banned. The group harkat ul mujahedin (HUM) was founded in 1985 in central Punjab, Pakistan’ as a faction group Harakat ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI), an anti Soviet jihadist organization based in Afghanistan. According to “Australian National Security” HuM of splinter from Harakat ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI), in 1991, But according to STANFORD UNIVERSITY, “MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS”  HuM split from HuJI in 1985. Soon after the end of Afghan Jihad against Soviet Union, Khalil’ the leader HuM decided to divert its attention Indian Occupied Kashmir. While in 1993, HuM and Harakat ul-Jihad Islami (HuJI), reunited to found Harakat ul-Ansar (HuA). HuA was proscribed in 1997 by US on reports of its links with Al-Qaeda. They changed their name again to HuM to shelter itself from the ramifications of proscription. After 9/11 HuM was proscribed both by US and Pakistan, again the group changed its name to Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA). It was banned again shortly after they changed their name in 2003.[20][21]

Organization’s Message

They want to separate Indian occupied Kashmir from India and merged it with Pakistan to form a new Islamic state.[22]

Target Audience

The target audience include young people from Pakistan and Kashmir between 18-25 age groups, mostly less educated and unemployed.[23] And radicalized youth from different regions of the world like South-East Asia, Europe and United states.[24]

Tools

Magazines, pamphlets and web,[25]

Splinter Groups

Jaish-e-Mohammad

Aliases: Army of Mohammed, Army of the Prophet, Mohammed, Jaish-e-Mohammad (Muhammed), Jaish-e-Mohammad Mujahideen E-Tanzeem, Jaish-i-Mohammed (Mohammad, Muhammad, Muhammed), Jeish-e-Mahammed, Mohammed's Army, National Movement for the Restoration of Pakistani Sovereignty and Army of the Prophet, Tehrik Ul-Furqaan.[26]

Annexure

 

Deobandi

Deobandis are a significant group of Muslims present in the sub continent who adhere to the Sunni sect of Islam and follow the ideology of Imam Abu Hanifa. The school of thought is named after the University of Deoband Dar ul Aloom in India. They believe in safeguarding the teachings of Islam, while spreading the religion through preaching.[27]   

Al Qaeda

Al Qaeda is an international terrorist network founded by Osama Bin Laden in 1988. Al Qaeda helped in recruiting, financing and training thousands of fighters from different parts of the world to be part of an Afghan resistance to defeat the Soviet Union. Al Qaeda’s goal is to establish Islamic Caliphate throughout the world by working with Islamic extremist groups to overthrow regimes they consider to be non Islamic. Al Qaeda’s activities include bombing, assassination, hijacking, kidnapping and suicide attacks. Al Qaeda is responsible for the attacks on the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania in 1998 and also the hijacking attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001.[28]     

 

 

[1] STANFORD UNIVERSITY, MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/219#note14

[2]Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=58

[3] STANFORD UNIVERSITY, MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/219#note15

[4] THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, with the International New York Times, accessed on July 27, 2015, retrieved from, http://tribune.com.pk/story/374756/dpc-leader-fears-nato-supplies-will-be-resumed/

[5] STANFORD UNIVERSITY, MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/219#note15

[6] Ibid.

[7] STANFORD UNIVERSITY, MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/219#note15

[8] Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=50

[9] Appendix F – Statement of Reasons – Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) , accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,  file:///C:/Users/IL/Downloads/http---www.aphref.aph.gov.au-house-committee-pjcis-aqap_6%20terrorist%20orgs-report-appendix%20f.pdf

[10] STANFORD UNIVERSITY, MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/219#note15

[11] Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=50

[12] Harakat ul-Ansar (HUA), accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from http://fas.org/irp/world/para/hua.htm

[13]Appendix F – Statement of Reasons – Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) , accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,   file:///C:/Users/IL/Downloads/http---www.aphref.aph.gov.au-house-committee-pjcis-aqap_6%20terrorist%20orgs-report-appendix%20f.pdf

[14]Australian National Security, Jamiat ul-Ansar, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,   http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Listedterroristorganisations/Pages/Jamiatul-Ansar.aspx

[15] Ibid.

[16]Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,  http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=58

[17]Australian National Security, Jamiat ul-Ansar, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,  http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Listedterroristorganisations/Pages/Jamiatul-Ansar.as px

[18] Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=50

[19] Australian National Security, Jamiat ul-Ansar, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,  http://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/Listedterroristorganisations/Pages/Jamiatul-Ansar.aspx

[20] Appendix F – Statement of Reasons – Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) , accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,  file:///C:/Users/IL/Downloads/http---www.aphref.aph.gov.au-house-committee-pjcis-aqap_6%20terrorist%20orgs-report-appendix%20f.pdf

[21] STANFORD UNIVERSITY, MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS, accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/219#note15

[22] Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=58

[23] Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=58

[24] Appendix F – Statement of Reasons – Jamiat ul-Ansar (JuA) , accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from,  file:///C:/Users/IL/Downloads/http---www.aphref.aph.gov.au-house-committee-pjcis-aqap_6%20terrorist%20orgs-report-appendix%20f.pdf

[25] Terrorist Organization Profile: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HuM),  accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=58

[26] Terrorist Organization Profile: Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), accessed on July 27, 2015 retrieved from, http://www.start.umd.edu/tops/terrorist_organization_profile.asp?id=58

[27] IslamQA. Deobandis. Retrieved on July 27, 2015, Retrieved from http://www.islam-qa.com/en22473

[28] Al Qaeda. Retrieved on July 27, 2015, Retrieved from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/al-qaida.htm