ISLAMIC JIHAD UNION (IJU)---Terrorist Group - Research Paper Example

This Uzbeki based organization is thus now acclaimed as a banned organization by the UK, US and some other nations, also actively condemned on the UN forum. Introduction Islamic Jihadi Union (IJU), which was previously known as the Islamic Jihad Group, is an organized terrorist group which has often seen conducting attacks on Uzbekistan and even Germany. Being one of the most widely studied terrorist organizations; it is also referred to as Jamiyat, Jamaay Mojahidin, Islomi Jihad and the Kazakh Jammat.

The organization was founded in 2002, and the origin of Islamic Jihadi Union stems from Pakistan. Analyzing the ethnic origins of the organization, most of the members have Uzbek ethnicity, while Tajik, Kyrgyz and Turks are also found amongst the ethnic group members. Since the basis of the organization is religious in nature, it is also significant to identify the religious roots of IJU, and thus, IJU has a Sunni Muslim inclination (Asal 2007). The organization includes about 100-150 people as active participants who incorporate the main body of the organization.

Though Uzbekistan is the sole focus of IJU, it is also found executing activities in other states like Pakistan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. Also, the organization doesn’t entirely base its operations in isolation, rather it has also found to have associations with IMU, Al-Qaeda, the Haqqani Network and the Uighur and the Chechen Groups. Ideology of IJU Mainly implementing the true Islamic Ideology and executing the fundamental Islamic principles as interpreted by the founding fathers of IJU comprises the philosophical basis of the organization.

However, strategically speaking, the main goal of the organization was the overthrow the Uzbek government in favor of IJU governing body. However, as the organization gained momentum, and also, the organizational setup matured in 2007, IJU`s mission became global in nature. The transnational agenda of IJU is similar to that of Al-Qaeda, which includes the advocacy for a free Palestine and supporting the coalition forces in Afghanistan. In 2009, IJU was focused upon the goal of overthrowing Karimov from power in Uzbekistan.

(Inbar and Frisch 2008) Background IMU (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan) is the parent organization of IJU; however a group of militants split apart from the organization in 2002, and this group of organization is what now comprises Islamic Jihadi Union. Amongst the most massive attacks accredited to IJI was the bombing executed in Tashkent in April 2004. This was a suicide attack executed in a crowded market, and though the intelligence agencies were initially putting the blame on other terrorist organizations, IJU claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Another attack which was executed targeted Uzbeki Prosecutor General`s Office alongside the Israeli Embassy and the US Embassy. This attack, held in June 2004, was quite a sophisticated one, which indicated the maturity of the organization over time. Another attack held in October 2004, which is also accredited to the IJU is the attack in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Also, further attacks were executed in 2007 to support the Al-Qaeda and the Taliban factions of Afghanistan. Major Tactics Like other terrorist organizations of similar nature, IJU uses a variety of tactics to execute its mission plans and leave an impact on the intended actors.

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