The Islamic Jihad Union - Research Paper Example

The Islamic Jihad Union Introduction There have been lot of news and stories told about the Islamic Jihad Union, and yet they remain to be misunderstood. The world does not understand what they are fighting for, what are their missions, why are they doing heroic deeds or are they just blind followers. In the light of the controversy the Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) is in, the study will look at their perspective with the aim of understanding their religiosity or differences. Methodology Data will be gathered from published literature to give background of the IJU.The history of the group, aims and objectives will be researched to provide the necessary information about the group. Discussions Background To have a better premise of jihad and its relation to the topic, definition of Jihad and Islam are described. Authors Christiansen, T. (2003) and the website history of Jihad, (n.d.) describe Jihad as an Arabic word that means struggle. This also means an “offensive war to be waged by Muslims against all non-Muslims under the pain of death”. As stated in the History, Jihad is an instruction in their Quran Christiansen defines Jihad further as a struggle of relationship to become a better person in the face of their master, the Allah. The word is also taken to mean in an extremist position, as a “holy war” on behalf of Islam, and is being associated with terrorism. To the Islamic Muslims, to sacrifice one’s life for Islam is Jihad, and to protect Islam from invaders or threat through warfare is Jihad in itself. Christiansen deals with two meanings, one with struggle in one self to become a better person personally, is already a Jihad. The other meaning throws fear particularly to those who are not of Muslim origin Most Muslims, Christiansen, said “Jihad is taken on a personal level and is not expressed in an outward fashion toward others”. To the Muslims, the word Islam refers to peace and surrender to the will of God. In this context, arguments about the validity of Jihad through warfare are being debated. Some express disapproval of violence that is not a self-defense, and there are those who defend “Jihad by the sword” is an honorable way to defend threats against their religious practices of freedom” (Christiansen) Under this framework, those who argued in favor of Jihad by the Sword, consider those countries supporting continued warfare in the Middle East are challenging the strength of Islam and a threat to the Islamic way of life. Christiansen sees some validity on this argument as Westernization of a country can affect the religious life. This view is contradicted by Islam scholars and religious leaders who condemn Jihad as it hurts innocent people who are among those who suffer in terrorists attack. However, they recalled a justification that it is through the Jihad power of the sword that Islam raised to power. In the modern times, they argued that religious wars should be stopped, and it is time that their people concentrate on the inner struggle of themselves and to submit to God’s will. An overview of the Islamic Jihad Union The Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) is a breakaway group from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in 2002. Steinberg, G., among others reporting about Islamic Jihad Union, said that this group sticks on their anti-western ideology, opposes secular rule in Uzbekistan, and seeks to replace the present regime with one that is based on Islamic laws. It has gained international attention when they reportedly bombed Tashkent and Uzbek cities in 2004, leaving 49 people dead.   Cordier B., a Research Conflict Analyst, reported that based on the video messages and its on line presence, the IJU is an umbrella organization of “small autonomous cells of varying strength and effectiveness.” Its known leaders are Abu Yahyah Mohammed Fatish and Sohail Mansur. In the words of Islamic Jihad Union leader, Ebu Yahyah Muhammad Fatih in an interview done on May 31, 2007, Source: NEFA Foundation: Islamic Jihad Union: A Chat with commander Ebu Yahyah Mohammad Fatih. May 11, 2007. http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/NEFA_Jalolov0909 The unconfirmed base of operations of the IJU is in North Waziristan, another tribal area on the Pakistan Afghan border. Its area of operations includes adjacent provinces of Afghanistan, including Khost wherein a German-born IJU member committed a suicide attack on a government checkpoint. (Cordier B.) According to Cordier, there are no verified reports as to the number or strength of its group, but he said that photos in circulation showed that the group has “combat cells of five to a dozen people and is most likely to be the group’s organizational unit.” However, the group has been known to have gathered strong recruitment and international support, Cordier stated. Their terrorists’ activities as reported in mahalo.com consisted of the following April 2004. 3 days of bombings in Uzbekistan, killed 47 people.(Reuters) July 2004: Bombed the U.S. and Israeli embassies in Taskent, the IJU’s first attack against foreign targets.(Reuters) November 2006: Three suspected IJU members were arrested in Pakistan for placing rockets in several government buildings (Reuters) August 2007: Suspected members of the IJU were arrested on terrorist charges in Germany Source of information: Reuters Fact box: Who are the Islamic Jihad Group Sept. 2008, cited in mahalo.com The IJU is able to flaunt their activities in websites as they declared their accountability of several bombings and terrorists attacks as part of their propaganda. For instance, they did not deny they used suicide bombers in Central Asia. IJU said that this is their way of denouncing the leadership in Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, as the group has formed alliance with other forces, IJU showed support to IJUs in Palestine, Iran and Afghan brothers, who made timely attacks during trials of arrested members for participation to global terrorism. IJUs are firm to commit martyrdom for the sake of their mission. Significance today - to US &/or other country(ies) Terror has been inflicted by IJU in US and in other countries. In an article done by Global Jihad, IJU has been more daring in the pursuit of their mission as it has advocated globalization, and called for the cooperation of all jihad movements in the world. IJU is said to have ties with the Al Qaeda operatives and other terrorist groups. Al Qaeda is an international terrorists group said to be responsible for the 9/11 attacks at the World Trade Center in U.S. (Bajoria, J. & Brunn, G. 2009) As a retaliation to the 9/11 incident, these authors said the U.S. declared war in Afghanistan to destroy Al-Qaeda’s bases and to overthrow its Taliban fundamentalist rulers. (Bajoria & Bruno) These analysts consider the operation of both the IMU and IJU, and judge that these groups do not carry the support of Uzbektans or from other country. They sized up that this IJU does not even carry the “sophisticated role” of an Islamic movement. However, thru the media, this group was able to catch up the attention of media and magnify their group as a large one than they really is. Bajoria & Brunn said that this is what the IJU calls “strategy of tension” in order to trigger action from the government to crack down all protesters regardless whether it is religious or secular. In effect, this will create more displeasure among the people, while at the same time IJU can gather international sentiments towards their movement. Impact on other terrorist group(s), if any The IJU impact to other terrorists group is through its alliances. The IJU is connected with Al-Qaeda, an international terrorist group, who was formed by Osama Bin Laden in late 1980s. According to Bajoria & Bruno, both groups have similarity of objectives, such that they want to clear the Muslim countries of the influences of the West and replace their governments with Islam regimes. Al-Qaeda is connected with other terrorists groups, namely: Egyptian Islamic Jihad, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, the Islamic Army of Aden (Yemen) , Jamaat al-Tawhid wal Jihad (Iraq) , Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad (Kashmir) , Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan , Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Algeria) (formerly Salafist Group for Call and Combat) , Armed Islamic Group (Algeria) , Abu Sayyaf Group (Malaysia, Philippines) , and Jemaah Islamiya (Southeast Asia) (Bajoria & Bruno). Conclusion If we look at the objectives of Al-Qaeda and the other groups, it would seem that there would be no end to war, as the US is committed to destroy Al-Qaeda’s safe haven in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region and to limit the group’s capability to strike on U.S. targets, in the same way the Islamic Jihad Union and other terrorists groups have firm stand on the issue. As earlier said, Islam means peace or surrender to the will of God. There are two sides in the warring faction here, and both wanted peace, but nobody wants to give way to peace. The Muslims based their advocacy on the Quran as the will of god and sees war as a means to an end; while the government based theirs on the rule of law and constitution. In this stance, nobody could be judged as correct in their convictions, the Muslims firm in their resolve that Westerns should not interfere with their way of life. Westerns on the other hand, interfere as it is part of modernization, globalization and only following what the constitution has adopted. In conclusion, the study has shown where the conflict started, how firm is the resolve of the Muslims in following their creed to the point of martyrdom. This kind of dedication from a man is hard to find, but in Muslims, this sacrifice is sacred and holy in their tradition. However, there are slow indications that other Muslim leaders, as shown in the study are on their way to their awareness that war is no longer necessary to achieve their jihad. References Bajoria, J. & Bruno, G. 2009 Al-Qaeda. Council on Foreign Relations. Viewed 12 April 2010 from http://www.cfr.org/publication/9126/ Brunn, G. 2009. Al-Qaeda. Council for Foreign relations http://www.cfr.org/publication/9126/ Cordier, B. July 2008. The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and the Islamic Jihad Union: a jihad nebulous in Central Asia and the EU. Central Asia. Viewed 12 April 2010 from http://www.caucaz.com/home_eng/breve_contenu.php?id=344 Christensen, T. (2003) What is jihad? Conjecture Corp. Viewed 11 April 2010 from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-jihad.htm Global Jihad.net. 2009. Islamic Jihad Union. Viewed 12 April 2010 from http://www.globaljihad.net/view_page.asp?id=999 Islamia.com. “What is Islam>” Viewed 12 April 2010 from http://www.islamia.com/what_is_islam.htm Kolman, E. July 2009. Jihad Networks in Pakistan and their influence in Europe. NEFA foundation. Presentation before the 111 International course on Jihad Terrorism Contingency Plans and Response” organized by Pablo Olavide, University and Granada University. Viewed from /www/nefa foundation.org. Mahalo.com. Sept.2008. Islamic Jihad Union. viewed 11 April 2010 from http://www.mahalo.com/islamic-jihad-union NCTC (National Counter Terrorism Center 2010. Islamic Jihad Union. Counter Terrorism Calendar, Viewed 12 April 2010 from http://www.nctc.gov/site/groups/iju.html NEFA Foundation: Islamic Jihad Union: A Chat with commander Ebu Yahyah Mohammad Fatih. May 11, 2007. Viewed 12 April 2010 from http://www.nefafoundation.org/miscellaneous/NEFA_Jalolov0909 Steinberg, G. (n.d.) A Turkish Al-Qaeda: the Islamic Jihad and the Internalization of Uzbek Jihadism. http://therearenosunglasses.wordpress.com/2009/04/22/a-turkish-al-qaeda-the-islamic-jihad-union-and-the-internationalization-of-uzbek-jihadism History of Jihad. (n.d.) “What is Jihad”. Viewed 12 April 2010) http://www.historyofjihad.com/ / Read More