Tablighi Jamaat and allegations of terrorism

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Main article: Tablighi Jamaat

The Tablighi Jamaat movement is an Islamic missionary and revival movement founded in what is now Pakistan in the early twentieth Century, as a response to Christian evangelists working among poor and poorly educated Muslims in British India.^[1][2][3][4] In recent years, allegations and concerns have risen about whether, or how much, the organization is linked to Islamic terrorist groups, such as Al Qaeda.^[5]

Contents 1 Background 2 Debate over Tablighi Jamaat's alleged ties to terrorism 2.1 Lack of documentary proof of how al Qaida was tied to Tablighi Jamaat 2.2 Terrorist suspects alleged to have links to Tablighi Jamaat 3 References

[edit] Background

A December 2001 article by the Boston Herald cited Indian security concerns branches of the jamaat were related to Al-Qaeda. Yet "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid apparently did not remain with the group because they were not violent enough.^[6] More recently, on July 19, 2006, Indian authorities questioned two clerics of Tabliq-e-Jamaat in Tripura state regarding the July 11th Mumbai commuter rail bombings, which resulted in the death of 209 people and wounded over 700. In their defense Taibur Rahman, the leader of Tabliq-e-Jamaat in Tripura state, said, "Investigators are free to question them and be satisfied, but they should not be harassed."^[7] It is also alleged extremist members of MULTA, with ties to the Pakistani ISI, passed into Bangladesh under the guise of members of Tabliq.^[8]

According to an article published in the Winter 2005 of Middle East Quarterly, "In 1995, the Pakistani army thwarted a coup attempt by several dozen high-ranking military officers and civilians, all of whom were members of the Tablighi Jamaat and some of whom also held membership in Harakat ul-Mujahideen, a U.S. State Department-defined terrorist organization." A very direct comment from the FBI in the article stated, "We have a significant presence of Tablighi Jamaat in the United States," the deputy chief of the FBI's international terrorism section said in 2003, "and we have found that Al-Qaeda used them for recruiting now and in the past."^[5]

An article in National Interest Online Alexis Debat of the The Nixon Center stated, "The organization is present in more than 80 countries, and about 99.9 percent of its activities are legitimate, peaceful and apolitical... It’s dedicated to improving society through individual development... They claim it’s not a political goal, but I’d argue that trying to change a society’s values is a political project, philosophically speaking." Attending a gathering, known as ijtima, in Pakistan he claimed, "I was told that, in the compound, Al-Qaeda came to raise money from Arab sheikhs and recruit foreign Muslims." Noting the difficulty separating out the violent extremists from the generally peaceful members, Debat added, "The question is how to root out the 0.1 percent that are terrorists without antagonizing the rest of the community."^[9]

[edit] Debate over Tablighi Jamaat's alleged ties to terrorism

While low-level intelligence analysts, in Afghanistan and Guantanamo, have written justifications for the continued detention of Guantanamo captives based on alleged associations between the detainee and Tablighi Jamaat, other organs of the United States government, such as the United States Institute of Peace, take a more benign view of Tablighi.^[1]

Bazer Azmy, a Law Professor at Seton Hall University, and one of Guantanamo captive Murat Kurnaz's lawyers, asked three American professors of Religion to write letters explaining to Kurnaz's Administrative Review Board the non-violent and apolitical roots of the Tabligh movement.

• According to Qamar-ul Huda, a Professor of Islamic Studies and Comparative Religion at Boston College, wrote that: “From the very beginning the Jama’at al-Tablighi has deliberately distanced itself from politics, political activities, and political controversies.”^[2]
• According to Barbara D. Metcalf, Director of the Center for South Asian Studies and the Alice Freeman Palmer Professor of History at the University of Michigan: “I will also attempt to explain why it is implausible to believe that the Tablighis support terrorism or are in any way affiliated with other terrorist or ‘jihadi’ movements such as the Taliban or Al Qaeda.”^[3]
• According to Jamal J. Ellias. Professor of Religion at Amherst College: “I must emphasize this last point, that the Tablighis formally and actively believe that traveling to engage in missionary activity fully discharges any religious obligation to engage in Jihad.”^[4]

[edit] Lack of documentary proof of how al Qaida was tied to Tablighi Jamaat

Fayad Yahya Ahmed asked his Personal Representative to provide him with a document explaining how al Qaida was related to Tablighi Jamaat.^[10] His Personal Representative replied: "We searched for a document to show that there is a connection but did not find one."

[edit] Terrorist suspects alleged to have links to Tablighi Jamaat

In the United Kingdom, Shehzad Tanweer, a suicide bomber involved with the 7 July 2005 London bombings, had been an attendee of Tablighi Jamaat meetings. However, the organization maintains it apolitical nature.^[11]

American intelligence analysts have justified the continued extrajudicial detention of dozens of Guantanamo captives, in part, on allegations that Tablighi Jamaat has ties to terrorism.

Who	Accuser	Status	Notes
Abdallah Saleh Ali Al Ajmi	JTF GTMO	repatriated	During his Administrative Review Board hearing Al Ajmi and one of the Board members had the following exchange about his participation in the Tablighi Jamaat: Al Ajmi My role was [sic] in this Tabligh [sic] to call people to pray, to do good. To let people know that there is an end to this world so they can pray and do well. Board Member Is it a religious organization? Al Ajmi Yes it is. Board Member Al Ajmi I believe that your dedication to your religion is genuine, what direction or path will that dedication take should you be released? Al Ajmi For peace. Board Member Ok, having said that I feel with that answer in mind than [sic] there is some sense of injustice on the part of your detention [sic]. Can that desire for peace and the anger you feel for the injustice coexist or live together? Presiding Officer Being detained here, does that affect your ideology of the peace concept that you just mentioned? Al Ajmi I don't blame the Americans for what they did by bringing us over here and detaining us over here. If I were in their place I would go out and look for terrorism all over the world like they did but I have a feeling it is going to be a just decision by the Americans. That is my feeling. I would do the same thing if I were in their shoes. I would capture the bad people, the terrorists and bring them over here and detain them.
Abdel Ghalib Ahmad Hakim	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing, stated: “...is associated with Jama’at al-Tabligh.”[12]
Abdelaziz Kareem Salim al-Noofayee	JTF GTMO	unknown	Al-Noofayee was told the safehouse where he was captured contained al Qaeda operatives. He said he didn't know any of them, that he was staying there because, when the Pakistani authorities were rounding up all Arabs he asked at the Tablighi Jamaat for a safe house where he could stay.[13]
Abdul Hakim Bukhary	JTF GTMO	unknown	Among the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, were: "The detainee admits long time affiliations with Jama'at Tablighi [sic].[14] "Detainee stayed with Jama'at Tablighi [sic] prior to 11 September 2001.
Abdul Rahman Nashi Badi Al Hataybi	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee is a member of Jama’at al Tablighi [sic]."[15]
Abib Sarajuddin	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee indicated his involvement with Tabligh Jamaat was a religious group comprised of ten to fifteen people who prayed together. The detainee stated he was in a Jamaat once and he traveled to different villages in his area and preached about Islam and the Koran."[16] "Some al Qaida members have joined the al Dawa al Tabligh religious organization, identifiable with the Jama'at al Tabligh, which was well known for it's (sic) support to Jihadist causes."
Ahmed Bin Kadr Labed	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee admitted going door-to-door with the Jama'at Tablighi [sic] (JT) for three days in Hamburg attempting to discuss Islam with people."[17]
Ahmed Hassan Jamil Suleyman	JTF GTMO	unknown	Among the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, were: "The detainee is associated with Jammaa al Tableegh [sic] (JT)."[18] "Many al Qaida operatives joined the religious organization Jama'at al-Tabligh [sic] in order to travel to Europe in the guise of Islamic missionaries.
Asim Thahit Abdullah Al Khalaqi	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing, stated: "The detainee is associated with the Jama’at al Tabligh [sic]."[19]
Bostan Karim	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "Prior to his arrest, the detainee traveled in Afghanistan and Pakistan to recruit for the Tablighi. On this trip the detainee claimed that he was the Amir of the Group of Tablighis."[20]
Fahed Abdullah Ahmad Ghazi	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "Sheik Muqbil instructed the Detainee to go to the Jama’ah al Tabligh Mosque in Sanaa where he could get a visa and a plane ticket to Pakistan. Since the detainee was still in the twelfth grade, Sheik Muqbil told him to wait until after graduation to make travel arrangements. A year later the detainee went to the mosque, left his passport and some money and later returned to obtain his passport, visa and a ticket."[21]
Faiz Mohammed Ahmed Al Kandari	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee was the leader of a Mujahiden group, Tabligh, in Kuwait. The detainee conducted a lot of meetings with Usama Bin Laden (UBL). The detainee collected money for UBL through a Sheik at a local mosque. The detainee was described as the legal advisor and close friend to UBL."[22]
Fayad Yahya Ahmed	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing, stated: "The detainee was recruited by a member of the Jama'at al-Tabligh [sic]."[23]
Ghallab Bashir	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee was smuggled from Iran into Afghanistan and then on to Quetta, Pakistan with assistance from the Tablighi (JT: Jama’at Tablighi) office in Zahedan, Iran."[24]
Hussein Salem Mohammed	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing, stated: "The detainee visited the Tablighi headquarters in Lahore, Pakistan."[25]
Khalid Mahomoud Abdul Wahab Al Asmr	JTF GTMO	NLEC freed	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing, stated: "The detainee is associated with Jamat al Tabligh [sic]."[26]
Khalid Saud Abd Al Rahman Al Bawardi	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing, stated: "The detainee is associated with the Jama'at al Tabligh [sic]."[27]
Khan Zaman	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee stated he never heard of Jamaat Tablighi and that he was not a member of that organization."[28]
Lufti Bin Swei Lagha	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal hearing, stated: The detainee associated with several Tunisians at a cultural center in Northern Italy, and frequented elements of the Jama'at al Tablighi [sic].[29]
Mohammad Ahmed Abdullah Saleh Al Hanashi	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: The detainee stayed at both Taliban and Jama Tablique guesthouses while en route to Kabul, Afghanistan.[30]
Mohammad Lameen Sidi Mohammad	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee signed up for missionary work with Tagligi Jamiat (JT) to attain entry into Afghanistan."[31]
Mohammed Ali Salem Al Zarnuki	JTF GTMO	unknown	Al Zarnuki was captured, on September 11, 2002, during a raid on the foreign student's residence at Salafi University, where he was a student.[32] During his Tribunal Al Zarnuki faced allegations that he was associated with the Tablighi Jamaat. He denied membership, and merely acknowledged that he had studied the Koran with them.
Mohammed Nasir Yahya Khusruf	JTF GTMO	unknown	During his response to the allegations against him, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal Khusruf acknowledged that an organization helped with his travel arrangements.[33] His translator translated the name of this organization as both Jamaat al Daawa and as Jamaat al Tablighi.
Mohammed Sulaymon Barre	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee received a Tablighi Jamiat Visa [sic] to Pakistan."[34]
Mohammed Yacoub	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee was sponsored into a missionary group (Tablighi) when he was in Pakistan."[35]
Mohmmad Ahmad Ali Tahar	JTF GTMO	unknown	Among the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, were: "The detainee was sent by the Jama’at al-Tablighi [sic] to travel."[36] "The detainee obtained his travel visa through Jama’at al-Tablighi [sic]." "The detainee was met by a member of Jama’at al-Tablighi [sic] in Pakistan."
Muhammad Abd Allah Mansur Al Futuri	JTF GTMO	unknown	Among the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, were: "The detainee stated that he was a member of the Al-Jamia'a Al Tablighi [sic] for two years while he was in Afghanistan and Pakistan.[37] "The detainee worked a few missions, which were 40 days long, for Al-Jamia'a Al Tablighi [sic] throughout the Afghanistan and Pakistan region. "The detainee traveled and worked as a paid employee of the Jama'at Al Tablighi [sic].
Murat Kurnaz	JTF GTMO	released	Kurnaz's continued detention was justified by his participation in a Tablighi tour. Kurnaz was alleged to have been friends, in Bremen, with another Turk who became a suicide bomber -- who turned out to be alive and well and still living in Bremen.
Musa Ali Said Al Said Al Umari	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee had initially provided the story that he fought with the Taliban. He did this because Pakistani authorities informed him, that if he told the truth about performing missionary work with the Jamaat Tabligh, the Saudi delegation would not help him."[38]
Saad Masir Mukbl Al Azani	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee studied recitation of the Koran at the Al Tabligh School and attended advanced religious school in order to learn religious science and become an Iman. The detainee also attended Dar Al Mustaffa College, where he studied religious science for two years."[39] Another allegation stated: "Jama'at Al Tablighi, a Pakistan-based Islamic missionary organization, is becoming increasingly radicalized, and is being used as a cover to mask travel and activities of terrorists including members of al Qaida."
Shams Ullah	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "Detainee was associated with a suspected member of Jama’at Tablighi."[40]
Sultan Sari Sayel Al Anazi	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee met a member of the Islamic-based organization, Jamaat Tabliq [sic], who convinced him to travel to Afghanistan."[41]
Usama Hassan Ahmend Abu Kabir	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, stated: "The detainee, who claims Jordanian citizenship, traveled to Pakistan in October 2001 to preach and to participate in a conference for the Jama'at al Tablighi [sic] organization.[42]
Yasim Muhammed Basardah	JTF GTMO	unknown	One of the allegations against Basardah, during his Administrative Review Board hearing, stated: "The detainee was recruited by Jamaat Tablighi [sic], a group that recruits young men for Jihad in Afghanistan. Many of these young men are poor and on drugs. The detainee attended meeting sponsored by Jamaat Tablighi for two months."[43]
Yunis Abdurrahman Shokuri	JTF GTMO	released	One of the allegations against Shokuri, during his Combatant Status Review Tribunal, stated: "Prior to helping form the Moroccan Islamic Fighting Group (GICM), the detainee was involved with Jama'at Al-Tablighi [sic]."[44]

[edit] References