Islamic Action Organisation

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The Islamic Action Organisation also known as the Islamic Task Organisation or Munazzamat al-'Amal al-Islami is a Shi'ite political party in Iraq. Islamic Task Organisation (Munazzamat al-'Amal al-Islami; often referred to as the Islamic Action Organisation): grouping formed by the 'ulama of Karbala after withdrawing from the early meetings of al-Da'wa in 1960/1. Main early leaders participated in the early meetings of al-Da'wa in 1958-59: esp Ayatollah Hasan Shirazi (b.Najaf, but grew up in Karbala; exiled in 1970 and assassinated in Beirut in 1980) and his elder brother, Muhammad Hussein Shirazi (left for Kuwait in late60s/early70s). They agreed with al-Da'wa on the need for a politically active 'ulama, but opposed their insistence on giving scholars a symbolic role while giving executive leadership to more non-religious figures. Instead, they stressed the need for a religious authority (i.e. a Faqih) leading the organization. Found institutional form at this stage, eg Muhammad Shirazi's Islamic Charity Society (estd 1962).

From 1968, the grouping was largely organized by the Shirazi's nephews Muhammad Taqi al-Mudarrisi (b.1945, Karbala) and Hadi al-Modarresi, who turned it into a more formal political movement, calling it al-Haraka. Muhsin al-Husayni (b.1944, another Karbala cleric), also had a role in the grouping, becoming deputy leader (although he later left to lead a splinter group). Developed good relations with Muhammad Muntaziri, future Iranian deputy leader then in Lebanon. Unsuccessful political opposition to the Ba'thist regime turned into military measures in 1979, when it took on its present name.

Its most famous action was the attempt by member, Samir Nur 'Ali to assassinate Deputy PM Tariq Aziz, on 1Apr80. Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-Mudarrisi served as leader, and was co-opted onto the central committee of SCIRI from its inception in Nov82. The ITO continued independent actions, and has managed to find recruits in Arab Gulf States (was blamed by Bahrain for Aug79 demonstrations), but its base remains Karbala. It had an active role in the 1991 uprising. Pre-2003, operational leadership seemed to rest with Ibrahim al-Mutairi (a Karbala agricultural engineer).

60 members, including the leadership, returned to Karbala on 22Apr03; and many (inc. Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-Mudarrisi) were briefly detained by US forces (after being captured by the Mujahidin i-Khalq). Mudarrisi has since called for a pluralistic government in Iraq that respects minority rights, and opposes attacks on US forces; but he opposes federalism on ethnic lines.


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