Jaish-e-Mohammed
Jaish-e-Mohammed (Urdu: جيش محمد, literally "The Army of Muhammad", abbreviated as JeM; also transliterated Jaish-e-Muhammed, Jaish-e-Mohammad or Jaish-e-Muhammad) is an Islamist terrorist group in Kashmir.[1] The group's primary motive is to separate Kashmir from India and it has carried out several attacks primarily in Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir.[2][3] It has been banned in Pakistan since 2002, yet continues to operate several facilities in the country.[4]
According to B. Raman, Jaish-e-Mohammed is viewed as the "deadliest" and "the principal terrorist organization in Jammu and Kashmir".[1][5] The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by Australia, Canada, India, the UAE, the UK, the US and the UN.
History
In March 2000 Maulana Masood Azhar formed Jaish-e-Mohammed, a terrorist organization from a split within Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM) (another terrorist organization) shortly after his December 1999 release from prison in exchange of Passengers of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 which was hijacked and was taken to Kandahar.[1][5][6] A majority of members left HUM and followed Azhar into the newly founded group.[5]
The Indian Government accused Jaish-e-Mohammed of being involved in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack. In December 2002, four JeM members were caught by Indian authorities and put on trial. All four were found guilty of playing various roles in the incident. One of the accused, Afzal Guru, was sentenced to death for his role.[7]
In January 2002 the government of President Pervez Musharraf banned the group. In response JeM changed its name to Khaddam ul-Islam.[1]
Notable incidents
- The group, in coordination with Lashkar-e-Tayiba, has been implicated in the 2001 Indian Parliament attack in New Delhi.[1]
- It has been suspected in the murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl in Karachi.[2][4]
- An informant, posing as a member of Jaish-e-Mohammed, helped police to arrest four people allegedly plotting to bomb a New York City synagogue as well as to shoot Stinger missiles at military aircraft in the United States. The arrest of the four took place in May 2009. One of the four, by the name of James Cromitie, allegedly expressed the desire to join Jaish-e-Mohammed. This expression allegedly took place approximately a year prior to this arrest.[8][9][10]
See also
- 2009 detention of Americans by Pakistan
- Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
- Khuddam ul-Islam
- List of terrorist organisations in India
- Abdul Rauf Asghar
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Cronin, Audrey Kurth; Huda Aden; Adam Frost; Benjamin Jones (2004-02-06). "Foreign Terrorist Organizations" (PDF). CRS Report for Congress (Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service): 40–43. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Jaish-e-Mohammad: A profile", BBC News, 2002-02-06, retrieved 2009-12-02
- ↑ Attack May Spoil Kashmir Summit
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Terror group builds big base under Pakistani officials' noses, Saeed Shah, McClatchy Newspapers, 13 Sep 2009
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Raman, B. (2001). "JAISH-E-MOHAMMED (JEM) ---A BACKGROUNDER". South Asia Analysis Group.
- ↑ "JeM top commander killed in encounter in Kashmir".
- ↑ 4 convicted in attack. Hinduonnet.com (17 December 2002). Retrieved on 8 September 2011.
- ↑ http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-nybomb2212791308may21,0,141551.story
- ↑ "Synagogue targeted in NY plot, four charged". Reuters. 2009-05-21.
- ↑ http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/05/200952144536467973.html
- Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), United States Department of State
- Moore, John (2001). "The evolution of Islamic Terrorism: An Overview". Frontline: Target America. PBS Online and WGBH/Frontline. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
