Background
On June 19, 2014, Israel’s Minister of Defense signed a warrant declaring (http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Brothers-Keeper/Israel-bans-Islamic-Relief-Worldwide-from-West-Bank-due-to-Hamas-ties-359934
) the NGO Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW) illegal, based on its alleged role in funneling money to Hamas. IRW was banned from operating in Israel and the West Bank. (Israel had previouslyaccused IRW of assisting Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organization1 in the UK.)
IRW’s 2013 Annual Report lists audited revenues of £83 million and non-audited revenues of £173 million from the “global family,” with over £10 millionin government funding and more than £16 million voluntary income from UK donations.
In September 2014, IRW announced that it would not accept funds from the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) Gaza Crisis Appeal pending an internal investigation prompted by the allegations, although it continued to function in Gaza during this time. (DEC is an umbrella group of 13 British charities associated with providing humanitarian aid and disaster relief.)
On December 12, 2014 IRW announced it had commissioned an “independent investigation” that found “absolutely no evidence of any links with terrorism” and that “not one of these many audits over many years has found a shred of evidence that Islamic Relief funds terrorism or has terrorist links anywhere in the world.”
In a statement to the media, Israel’s General Security Service (Shin Bet) said it could not respond to IRW’s announcement “without an in-depth examination of [the audit’s] findings, its scope or who it was carried out by.” It claimed the Israeli government’s decision to declare IRW illegal was “based on information that has been accumulated over years, that the fund is a central player in financing of Hamas… [and] on accumulated knowledge and experience in fighting terror and financing of terror organizations.”
Lack of Investigation by the Charity Commission
Following the accusations of funding terror organizations, IRW submitted a serious incident report to the Charities Commission in June 2014 and began an internal audit.
Although the Charity Commission has investigated other charities based on serious incident reports or concerns about misapplication of funds, it did not investigate IRW. The Commission issued no special advisory regarding donations to IRW; rather, a Charity Commission spokeswoman said that “it was satisfied that the charity was responding appropriately to the incident.”
UK Funding
According to the UK’s Department for Internal Development (DFID) website, IRW received £1.25 million in government funding in 2013. This was as part of a 4-year, £5 million grant for non-country-specific strategic funding (information last updated on July 15, 2014). According to the BBC, IRW received £3.2m from the DFID in 2013.
On June 20, 2014 NGO Monitor sent a freedom of information (FOI) request to DFID’s Information Rights and Public Enquiries. The request asked for information regarding mechanisms used to ensure that UK funding for or cooperation with IRW has not been linked to terrorist activities or incitement to violence. The request also asked for official documentation, reports, or evaluations on this issue. (Freedom of Information Request F2014¬260)
On July 18, 2014, NGO Monitor’s request was denied. DFID claimed that “in this case the public interest in withholding the information outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.”
IRW Internal Investigation and Results
On December 12, 2014, IRW announced it had commissioned an “independent investigation” that found “absolutely no evidence of any links with terrorism” and that “not one of these many audits over many years has found a shred of evidence that Islamic Relief funds terrorism or has terrorist links anywhere in the world.”
IRW’s statement claims that it has “shared its findings in full with a number of major stakeholders.”
The identity of these “stakeholders” was not divulged, although the DEC, an umbrella group of 13 UK charities including IRW, responded in astatement to the press that “The DEC has considered the independent audit report which reviewed Islamic Relief’s operations in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.…We are satisfied that Islamic Relief has robust systems in place to ensure aid money is properly accounted for and spent appropriately.”
Mohamed Ashmawey, Chief Executive Officer of IRW, also sits on the DEC board of trustees, and in a possible conflict of interest according to the guidelines of the Charity Commission, DEC’s Chief Executive, Saleh Saeed, formerly served as CEO of Islamic Relief.
IRW’s audit claims are impossible to verify and demonstrate a severe lack of transparency. It has not published the full report or even named the group that conducted the audit. The public is unable to ascertain the extent of the investigation, or analyze the methodology or process by which the audit came to its conclusions and results.
Issues from IRW’s 2012 and 2013 Annual Reports
IRW’s 2013 Annual Report lists audited revenues of £83 million and non-audited revenues of £173 million from the “global family.” However the Report does not identify the entities that comprise the unaudited global family nor explain how funds flow between the IRW and these unaudited entities.
It is unknown whether IRW’s internal investigation extended to these unaudited organizations.
The 2012 and 2013 Annual Reports itemize revenue by country, but do not specify spending amounts per country. Reports also itemize categories of services (i.e. access to water and healthcare, caring for orphans, etc.), but do not list funding amounts for services directed to specific areas, such as Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Recommendations
The information provided by IRW on its internal investigation is insufficient to assess the veracity of its claims. NGO Monitor recommends that a fully independent, transparent, and comprehensive audit of IRW’s international activities and funding mechanisms be undertaken immediately.
Considering the seriousness of allegations against IRW and its acceptance of UK taxpayer funds, NGO Monitor further recommends that the British Charity Commission conduct a thorough review of IRW, in cooperation with the Israeli and other relevant authorities.
Ataachements&End Notes
LIST OF PROSCRIBED INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST GROUPS
LIST OF PROSCRIBED INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST GROUPS • 67 international terrorist organisations are proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000. • 14 organisations in Northern Ireland that were proscribed under previous legislation. The information about the groups’ aims was given to Parliament when they were proscribed. Users should bear in mind that there is no universal standard for transliterating Arabic and other languages into Latin characters. Therefore, the spelling of the names of proscribed organisations appearing in other publications may differ slightly from that given in this list. 17 November Revolutionary Organisation (N17) – Proscribed March 2001 Aims to highlight and protest at what it deems to be imperialist and corrupt actions, using violence. Formed in 1974 to oppose the Greek military Junta, its stance was initially anti-Junta and anti-US, which it blamed for supporting the Junta. Abdallah Azzam Brigades, including the Ziyad al-Jarrah Battalions (AAB) – Proscribed June 2014 AAB is an Islamist militant group aligned with Al Qa’ida and the global jihad movement, currently fighting in Syria and Lebanon. The group began operating in Pakistan in 2009. The 5 Lebanese branch uses the name the Ziyad al Jarrah Battalion, and is named after Lebanese 9/11 hijacker Ziyad al Jarrah who participated in the hijacking and crash of United Flight 93. AAB has increased its operational pace since the onset of the Syrian insurgency, claiming responsibility for a rocket attack launched from Lebanon into northern Israel in August 2013. On 19 November 2013, AAB claimed responsibility for a double suicide bombing outside the Iranian embassy in Beirut, which killed at least 22 people and wounded over 140. On 19 February 2014, the group’s media wing, the Al-Awzaey Media Foundation, announced on Twitter and YouTube that the group claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings near the Iranian cultural centre in Beirut killing 11 and wounding 130, in revenge for actions by Iran and Hizballah, in Lebanon and Syria. The group has threatened to launch further terrorist attacks and has demanded that the Lebanese Government free imprisoned jihadists. It has also threatened attacks on Western targets in the Middle East. Abu Nidal Organisation (ANO) – Proscribed March 2001 ANO’s principal aim is the destruction of the state of Israel. It is also hostile to ‘reactionary’ Arab regimes and states supporting Israel. Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) – Proscribed March 2001 The precise aims of the ASG are unclear, but its objectives appear to include the establishment of an autonomous Islamic state in the Southern Philippine island of Mindanao. Ajnad Misr (Soldiers of Egypt) – Proscribed November 2014 The group is a jihadist group based in Egypt and is believed to be a splinter group of Ansar Bayt al Maqdis (ABM), which was proscribed on 4 April. Ajnad Misr has stated that it seeks to protect Egyptian Muslims and avenge alleged abuse against them by the Egyptian security services. Ajnad Misr is believed to have been active since 20 November 2013, when it attacked an Egyptian checkpoint. It announced its establishment on 23 January 2014 and has claimed responsibility a number of attacks on Egyptian security forces in a military campaign. The claims were made in three communiqués posted on its Facebook and Twitter accounts on 23 January, 24 January, and 31 January. On the jihadi forum al-Fida’, Ansar Bayt al Maqdis, referred to Ajnad Misr in a communiqué issued on January 28, expressing support for the group and identifying it as being responsible for two attacks in Greater Cairo in January. Ajnad Misr has claimed responsibility for the bombing at Cairo University on 2 April that resulted in the death of a policeman and injuries to three others. Al-Gama’at al-Islamiya (GI) – Proscribed March 2001 The main aim of GI is to overthrow the Egyptian government and replace it with an Islamic state through all means, including the use of violence. Some members also want the removal of Western influence from the Arab world. Al Ghurabaa – Proscribed July 2006 Al Ghurabaa / The Saved Sect is an Islamist group which seeks to establish an Islamic Caliphate ruled by Shariah law. The group first emerged as Al Muhajiroun in the UK, in 1996, led by Omar Bakri Muhammed, who then publicly disbanded the organisation in 2004. The organisation reformed in 2004 under the names Al Ghurabaa and the Saved Sect. While the Group has some links to groups overseas, it is based and operates within the UK. 6 Note: The Government laid Orders, in January 2010 and November 2011, which provide that Al Muhajiroun, Islam4UK, Call to Submission, Islamic Path, London School of Sharia and Muslims Against Crusades should be treated as alternative names for the organisation which is already proscribed under the names Al Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect. The Government laid an Order, in June 2014 recognising Need4Khilafah, the Shariah Project and the Islamic Dawah Association as the same as the organisation proscribed as Al Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect, which is also known as Al Muhajiroun. Al Ittihad Al Islamia (AIAI) – Proscribed October 2005 The main aims of AIAI are to establish a radical Sunni Islamic state in Somalia, and to regain the Ogaden region of Ethiopia as Somali territory via an insurgent campaign. Militant elements within AIAI are suspected of having aligned themselves with the ‘global jihad’ ideology of Al Qa’ida, and to have operated in support of Al Qa’ida in the East Africa region. Al Murabitun – Proscribed April 2014 Al Murabitun resulted from a merger of two Al Qa’ida in the Maghreb (AQ-M) splinter groups that are active in Mali and Algeria, the Movement for the Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJWA) and Mokhtar Belmokhtar’s group, the Al Mulathamine Battalion which included the commando element ‘Those Who Sign in Blood’. The merger was announced in a public statement in August 2013. Al Murabitun aspires to unite Muslims from “the Nile to the Atlantic” and has affirmed its loyalty to al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and the emir of the Afghan Taleban, Mullah Omar. As at 3 April 2014, the group has not claimed responsibility for any terrorist attacks since the merger but both precursor groups have participated in a number of terrorist attacks and kidnapping for ransom during the past 13 months. Belmokhtar’s group was responsible for the attack against the In Amenas gas facility in January 2013 that resulted in the death of over thirty people including Britons. In May 2013 the two groups targeted a military barracks in Agadez, Niger and a uranium mine in Arlit which supplies French nuclear reactors. The suicide attack in Agadez resulted in the deaths of at least twenty people. Despite previously separating themselves from AQM, citing leadership issues and the desire to expand their control, both precursor groups continued to cooperate and fight alongside AQM fighters in Mali and other regions of West Africa. This activity has continued since the merger. Al Qa’ida (AQ) – Proscribed March 2001 Inspired and led by Usama Bin Laden, its aims are the expulsion of Western forces from Saudi Arabia, the destruction of Israel and the end of Western influence in the Muslim world. Note: The Government laid an Order, in July 2013, which provided that the al-Nusrah Front (ANF) and Jabhat al-Nusrah li-ahl al Sham should be treated as alternative names for the organisation which is already proscribed under the name Al Qa’ida. Al Shabaab – Proscribed March 2010 Al Shabaab is an organisation based in Somalia which has waged a violent campaign against the Somali Transitional Federal Government and African Union peacekeeping forces since 2007, employing a range of terrorist tactics including suicide bombings, indiscriminate attacks and assassinations. Its principal aim is the establishment of a fundamentalist Islamic state in Somalia, but the organisation has publicly pledged its allegiance to Usama Bin Laden and has announced an intention to combine its campaign in the Horn of Africa with Al Qa’ida’s aims of global jihad. 7 Ansar Al Islam (AI) – Proscribed October 2005 AI is a radical Sunni Salafi group from northeast Iraq around Halabja. The group is antiWestern, and opposes the influence of the US in Iraqi Kurdistan and the relationship of the KDP and PUK to Washington. AI has been involved in operations against Multi-National Forces-Iraq (MNF-I). Ansar al-Sharia-Benghazi (AAS-B) which translates as the Partisans of Islamic Law – Proscribed November 2014 AAS-B is a Sunni Islamist militia group that has an anti-Western rhetoric and advocates the implementation of strict Sharia law. AAS-B came into being in 2011, after the fall of the Gaddafi regime. The group was led by Mohammed Ali al-Zahawi and Ahmed Abu Khattalah is an AAS-B senior leader. AAS-B is involved in terrorist attacks against civilian targets, frequent assassinations, and attempted assassinations of security officials and political actors in eastern Libya. On 11 September, 2012 members of AAS-B took part in the attack against the U.S. Special Mission and Annex in Benghazi, Libya, killing the US ambassador and three other Americans. In September 2012, Mohammed Ali al-Zahawi, in an interview openly stated his support for Al Qa’ida’s strategy but denied any links to the organisation. He also confirmed AAS-B had demolished and desecrated Sufi shrines in Benghazi, which the group regard as idolatrous. AAS-B used its online presence to denounce the 2013 capture and removal from Libya of al Qa’ida operative Abu Anas al-Libi, by American military forces. In August 2013, Ahmed Abu Khattala, a senior leader of the group, was charged with playing a significant role in last year’s attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi. AAS-B continues to pose a threat to Libya and Western interests and is alleged to have links to proscribed organisation Ansar al-Sharia-Tunisia and Al Qa’ida. The US designated AAS-B as a terrorist organisation in January 2014 and the UN listed AAS-B on 19 November Ansar Al Sharia-Tunisia (AAS-T) – Proscribed April 2014 Ansar Al Sharia-Tunisia (AAS-T) is a radical Islamist group founded in April 2011. The group aims to establish Sharia law in Tunisia and eliminate Western influence. The group is ideologically aligned to Al Qa’ida (AQ) and has links to AQ affiliated groups. It is reported that the group announced its loyalty to AQM in September 2013. AAS-T’s leader, Seif Allah Ibn Hussein also known as Abu Ayadh al-Tunis, is a former AQ veteran combatant in Afghanistan. He has been hiding following issue of a warrant for his arrest relating to an allegation of inciting the attack on the US Embassy in Tunis that killed four people in September 2012. Extremists believed to have links with AAS-T are assessed to be responsible for the attacks in October 2011 on a television station and, in June 2012, an attack on an art exhibit. AAS-T is assessed to be responsible for the attacks on the US Embassy and American school in Tunis in September 2012. The Tunisian government believe AAS-T was responsible for the assassination of two National Coalition Assembly members; Chokri Belaid in February 2013 and Mohamed Brahmi in July 2013. Additionally, elements of the group are believed to have been involved in the attempted suicide attack, in October 2013, at a hotel in a tourist resort in Sousse where a significant number of British tourists were staying. 8 Ansar Al Sunna (AS) – Proscribed October 2005 AS is a fundamentalist Sunni Islamist extremist group based in central Iraq and what was the Kurdish Autonomous Zone (KAZ) of Northern Iraq. The group aims to expel all foreign influences from Iraq and create a fundamentalist Islamic state. Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis (ABM) – Proscribed April 2014 ABM is an Al Qa’ida inspired militant Islamist group based in the northern Sinai region of Egypt. The group is said to recruit within Egypt and abroad and aims to create an Egyptian state ruled by Sharia law. ABM is assessed to be responsible for a number of attacks on security forces in Egypt since 2011. The attacks appear to have increased since the overthrow of the Morsi government in July 2013. The group’s reach goes beyond the Sinai, with the group claiming responsibility for a number of attacks in Cairo and cross-border attacks against Israel. ABM has undertaken attacks using vehicle borne improvised explosive devices and surface-to-air missiles. Examples of attacks that the group has claimed responsibility for include: • in September 2013 an attack on the Egyptian Interior Minister in which a UK national was seriously injured; • the attack on a police compound in Mansoura on 24 December 2013, killing at least 16 people, including 14 police officers; and • an attack on a tourist bus in which three South Koreans and their Egyptian driver died on 16 January 2014. Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Vanguard for the protection of Muslims in Black Africa) (Ansaru) – Proscribed November 2012 Ansaru is an Islamist terrorist organisation based in Nigeria. They emerged in 2012 and are motivated by an anti-Nigerian Government and anti-Western agenda. They are broadly aligned with Al Qa’ida. Armed Islamic Group (Groupe Islamique Armée) (GIA) – Proscribed March 2001 The aim of the GIA is to create an Islamic state in Algeria using all necessary means, including violence. Asbat Al-Ansar (‘League of Partisans’ or ‘Band of Helpers’) – Proscribed November 2002 Sometimes going by the aliases of ‘The Abu Muhjin’ group/faction or the ‘Jama’at Nour’, this group aims to enforce its extremist interpretation of Islamic law within Lebanon and, increasingly, further afield. Babbar Khalsa (BK) – Proscribed March 2001 BK is a Sikh movement that aims to establish an independent Khalistan within the Punjab region of India. Basque Homeland and Liberty (Euskadi ta Askatasuna) (ETA) – Proscribed March 2001 ETA seeks the creation of an independent state comprising the Basque regions of both Spain and France. Baluchistan Liberation Army (BLA) – Proscribed July 2006 BLA are comprised of tribal groups based in the Baluchistan area of Eastern Pakistan, which aims to establish an independent nation encompassing the Baluch dominated areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. 9 Boko Haram (Jama’atu Ahli Sunna Lidda Awati Wal Jihad) (BH) – Proscribed July 2013 Boko Haram is a terrorist organisation, based in Nigeria that aspires to establish Islamic law in Nigeria and has carried out a number of terrorist attacks that have targeted all sections of Nigerian society. Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) – Proscribed March 2001 The main aim of the EIJ is to overthrow the Egyptian government and replace it with an Islamic state. However, since September 1998, the leadership of the group has also allied itself to the ‘global Jihad’ ideology expounded by Usama Bin Laden and has threatened Western interests. Groupe Islamique Combattant Marocain (GICM) – Proscribed October 2005 The traditional primary objective of the GICM has been the installation of a governing system of the caliphate to replace the governing Moroccan monarchy. The group also has an Al Qa’idainspired global extremist agenda. Hamas Izz al-Din al-Qassem Brigades – Proscribed March 2001 Hamas aims to end Israeli occupation in Palestine and establish an Islamic state. Harakat-Ul-Jihad-Ul-Islami (HUJI) – Proscribed October 2005 The aim of HUJI is to achieve though violent means accession of Kashmir to Pakistan, and to spread terror throughout India. HUJI has targeted Indian security positions in Kashmir and conducted operations in India proper. Harakat-Ul-Jihad-Ul-Islami (Bangladesh) (HUJI-B) – Proscribed October 2005 The main aim of HUJI-B is the creation of an Islamic regime in Bangladesh modelled on the former Taliban regime in Afghanistan. Harakat-Ul-Mujahideen/Alami (HuM/A) and Jundallah – Proscribed October 2005 The aim of both HuM/A and Jundallah is the rejection of democracy of even the most Islamicoriented style, and to establish a caliphate based on Sharia law, in addition to achieving accession of all Kashmir to Pakistan. HuM/A has a broad anti-Western and anti-President Musharraf agenda. Harakat Mujahideen (HM) – Proscribed March 2001 HM, previously known as Harakat Ul Ansar (HuA) seeks independence for Indian-administered Kashmir. The HM leadership was also a signatory to Usama Bin Laden’s 1998 fatwa, which called for worldwide attacks against US and Western interests. Haqqani Network (HQN) – Proscribed March 2015 The Haqqani Network (HQN) is an Islamist, nationalist group seeking to establish sharia law and control territory in Afghanistan. It is ideologically aligned with the Taleban, and aims to eradicate Western influence, disrupt the Western military and political efforts in Afghanistan. The group is demanding that US and Coalition Forces withdraw from Afghanistan. The group is led by Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son, Sirajuddin. HQN has links with a number of terrorist groups in the region including proscribed Central Asian group Islamic Jihad Union (IJU). HQN also have long established links with Al Qa’ida (AQ) that were strengthened after the removal of the Taleban by the US when AQ leader Osama bin Laden was probably sheltered by Jalaluddin in North Waziristan (NWA). HQN continues to play an active and influential role in the Afghan insurgency in the East of the country and is seeking to expand its influence in to other areas of Afghanistan. While it can be 10 difficult to identify specific HQN responsibility for attacks, given the Taleban practice of claiming attacks on behalf of the insurgency as a whole, the group believed to have been responsible for the recent attack against the British Embassy vehicle in November 2014 which killed six people including a UK national and an Afghan member of UK Embassy staff and injuring more than 30 people. It is likely that HQN will continue to view Kabul as a key target location due to the concentration of UK and Western interests in the capital. HQN has been banned as a terrorist group by the USA since September 2012, Canada since May 2013 and the UN since November 2012. Hizballah Military Wing – Hizballah’s External Security Organisation was proscribed March 2001and in 2008 the proscription was extended to Hizballah’s Military apparatus including the Jihad Council Hizballah is committed to armed resistance to the state of Israel, and aims to seize all Palestinian territories and Jerusalem from Israel. Its military wing supports terrorism in Iraq and the Palestinian territories. Hezb-E Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) – Proscribed October 2005 Led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar who is in particular very anti-American, HIG is anti-Western and desires the creation of a fundamentalist Islamic State in Afghanistan. Imarat Kavkaz (IK) (also known as the Caucasus Emirate) – Proscribed December 2013 Imarat Kavkaz seeks a Sharia-based Caliphate across the North Caucasus. It regularly uses terrorist tactics and has carried out attacks against both Russian state and civilian targets. The organisation claimed responsibility for the attack on Domedodevo airport in Moscow in January 2011, that killed 35 including one British national and a suicide attack on the Moscow Metro in March 2010 that killed 39. Since then there has been continued activity by Imarat Kavkaz, including renewed threats of terrorist activity in Russia. Indian Mujahideen (IM) – Proscribed July 2012 IM aims to establish an Islamic state and implement Sharia law in India using violent means. International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) – Proscribed March 2001 ISYF is an organisation committed to the creation of an independent state of Khalistan for Sikhs within India. Islamic Army of Aden (IAA) – Proscribed March 2001 The IAA’s aims are the overthrow of the current Yemeni government and the establishment of an Islamic State following Sharia Law. Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) – Proscribed July 2005 The primary strategic goal of the IJU is the elimination of the current Uzbek regime. The IJU would expect that following the removal of President Karimov, elections would occur in which Islamic-democratic political candidates would pursue goals shared by the IJU leadership. Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) – Proscribed November 2002 The primary aim of IMU is to establish an Islamic state in the model of the Taleban in Uzbekistan. However, the IMU is reported to also seek to establish a broader state over the entire Turkestan area. 11 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also known as Dawlat al-‘Iraq al-Islamiyya, Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Dawlat al Islamiya fi Iraq wa al Sham (DAISh) and the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham – Proscribed June 2014 ISIL is a brutal Sunni Islamist terrorist group active in Iraq and Syria. The group adheres to a global jihadist ideology, following an extreme interpretation of Islam, which is anti-Western and promotes sectarian violence. ISIL aims to establish an Islamic State governed by Sharia law in the region and impose their rule on people using violence and extortion. ISIL was previously proscribed as part of Al Qa’ida (AQ). However on 2 February 2014, AQ senior leadership issued a statement officially severing ties with ISIL. This prompted consideration of the case to proscribe ISIL in its own right. ISIL not only poses a threat from within Syria but has made significant advances in Iraq. The threat from ISIL in Iraq and Syria is very serious and shows clearly the importance of taking a strong stand against the extremists. We are aware that a number of British nationals have travelled to Syria and some of these will inevitably be fighting with ISIL. It appears that ISIL is treating Iraq and Syria as one theatre of conflict and its potential ability to operate across the border must be a cause of concern for the whole international community. In April 2014, ISIL claimed responsibility for a series of blasts targeting a Shia election rally in Baghdad. These attacks are reported to have killed at least 31 people. Thousands of Iraqi civilians lost their lives to sectarian violence in 2013, and attacks carried out by ISIL will have accounted for a large proportion of these deaths. ISIL has reportedly detained dozens of foreign journalists and aid workers. In September 2013, members of the group kidnapped and killed the commander of Ahrar ash-Sham after he intervened to protect members of a Malaysian Islamic charity. In January 2014, ISIL captured the Al-Anbar cities of Ramadi and Fallujah, and is engaged in ongoing fighting with the Iraqi security forces. The group also claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack that killed four people and wounded dozens in the southern Beirut suburb of Haret Hreik. ISIL has a strong presence in northern and eastern Syria where it has instituted strict Sharia law in the towns under its control. The group is responsible for numerous attacks and a vast number of deaths. The group is believed to attract foreign fighters, including Westerners, to the region. The group has maintained control of various towns on the Syrian/Turkish border allowing the group to control who crosses and ISIL’s presence there has interfered with the free flow of humanitarian aid. Note: The Government laid an Order in August 2014 which provides that “Islamic State (Dawlat al Islamiya)” should be treated as another name for the organisation which is already proscribed as ISIL. The UK does not recognise ISIL’s claims of a ‘restored’ Caliphate or a new Islamic State. Jaish e Mohammed (JeM) and splinter group Khuddam Ul-Islam (Kul) – JeM proscribed March 2001and KuI proscribed October 2005 JeM and KuI seek the ‘liberation’ of Kashmir from Indian control as well as the ‘destruction’ of America and India. JeM has a stated objective of unifying the various Kashmiri militant groups. 12 Jamaat ul-Ahrar (JuA) – Proscribed March 2015 JuA is a militant Islamist group that split away from Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in August 2014. JuA aims to establish an Islamic caliphate in Pakistan and aspires to extend global jihad into the Indian subcontinent. The group have claimed responsibility for a number of recent attacks, including on 21 November 2014, a grenade attack on the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in Orangi Town area of Karachi that killed three members of the Sindh Assembly and injured 50 workers; on 7 November 2014, twin bombings targeting peace committee volunteers in Chinari village of Safi Tehsil in the Mohmand Agency killed at least six people. JuA’s spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, claimed responsibility and vowed to continue attacking tribal peace committees; and on 2 November 2014, the suicide bomber attack on the Pakistan side of Wagah border crossing, shortly after the famous flag-lowering ceremony had concluded, that killed over 60 people. In September 2014, Ehsanullah Ehsan released a statement criticising the British Government for arresting Al Muhajiroun (ALM) associates and made a threat, stating that “your future security depends upon how nicely you treat the Muslims in Britain”. In March 2015 the group claimed responsibility for fatal attacks on Christian sites in Lahore. Jammat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) – Proscribed July 2007 JMB first came to prominence on 20 May 2002 when eight of its members were arrested in possession of petrol bombs. The group has claimed responsibility for numerous fatal bomb attacks across Bangladesh in recent years, including suicide bomb attacks in 2005. Jaysh al Khalifatu Islamiya (JKI) which translates as the Army of the Islamic Caliphate – proscribed November 2014 JKI is an Islamist jihadist group, consisting predominately of Chechen fighters. JKI is an opposition group active in Syria. JKI splintered from Jaysh al-Muhajireen Wal Ansar (JAMWA) in 2013. At that point a number of members went with Umar Shishani (aka Umar the Chechen) to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and, the rest of the group stayed distinct and renamed itself Majahideen of the Caucasus and the Levant (MCL) and more recently renamed itself JKI. Before his death in 2014, JKI was led by Seyfullah Shishani, who had pledged allegiance to the leader of the Al Nusrah Front, Mohammed Al-Jawlani. JKI has assisted ANF and ISIL in conducting attacks. In February 2014, a British individual linked to the group, carried out a suicide attack on a prison in Aleppo, resulting in prisoner escapes. Jeemah Islamiyah (JI) – Proscribed November 2002 JI’s aim is the creation of a unified Islamic state in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Southern Philippines. Jamaat Ul-Furquan (JuF) – Proscribed October 2005 The aim of JuF is to unite Indian administered Kashmir with Pakistan; to establish a radical Islamist state in Pakistan; the ‘destruction’ of India and the USA; to recruit new jihadis; and the release of imprisoned Kashmiri militants. 13 Jund al-Aqsa (JAA) which translates as “Soldiers of al-Aqsa” – Proscribed January 2015 JAA is a splinter group of Al Nusrah Front (ANF), active in Syria against the Syrian Government since September 2013. JAA is a foreign fighter battalion of a variety of nationalities, as well as a native Syrian contingent. The group is primarily operating in Idlib and Hama. JAA is believed to be responsible for the attack on 9 February 2014 in Maan village killing 40 people of which 21 were civilians. JAA and Ahrar al-Sham are reported to have uploaded YouTube footage of their joint offensive against the village, although neither group has claimed responsibility. JAA has supported the Islamic Front in an operation to seize Hama military airport during July 2014. ANF released a document summarising its operations in August 2014, which included details of an attack that targeted a resort hotel conducted in collaboration with JAA. Jund al Khalifa-Algeria (JaK-A) which translates as Soldiers of the Caliphate – Proscribed January 2015 JaK-A is an Islamist militant group believed to be made up of members of dormant Al Qa’ida (AQ) cells. JaK-A announced its allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in a communiqué released on 13 September 2014. In April 2014, JaK-A claimed responsibility for an ambush on a convoy, that killed 11 members of the Algerian army. On 24 September 2014, the group beheaded a mountaineering guide, Hervé Gourdel, a French national. The abduction was announced on the same day that a spokesman for ISIL, warned that it would target Americans and other Western citizens, especially the French, after French jets joined the US in carrying out strikes in Iraq on ISIL targets. Kateeba al-Kawthar (KaK) also known as ‘Ajnad al-sham’ and ‘Junud ar-Rahman al Muhajireen’- Proscribed June 2014 KaK describes itself as a group of mujahideen from more than 20 countries seeking a ‘just’ Islamic nation. KaK is an armed terrorist group fighting to establish an Islamic state in Syria. The group is aligned to the most extreme groups operating in Syria and has links to Al Qa’ida. The group’s leader is described as a Western Mujaadid commander. KaK is believed to attract a number of Western foreign fighters and has released YouTube footage encouraging travel to Syria and asking Muslims to support the fighters. Partiya Karkeren Kurdistani (PKK) which translates as the Kurdistan Worker’s Party – Proscribed March 2001 PKK/KADEK/KG is primarily a separatist movement that seeks an independent Kurdish state in southeast Turkey. The PKK changed its name to KADEK and then to Kongra Gele Kurdistan, although the PKK acronym is still used by parts of the movement. Note: The Government laid an Order in 2006 which provides that KADEK and Kongra Gele Kurdistan should be treated as another name for the organisation which is already proscribed as PKK. Lashkar e Tayyaba (LT) – Proscribed March 2001 LT seeks independence for Kashmir and the creation of an Islamic state using violent means. 14 Note: The Government laid an Order in March 2009 which provides that Jama’at’ ud Da’wa (JuD) should be treated as another name for the organisation which is already proscribed as Lashkar e Tayyaba. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) – Proscribed March 2001 The LTTE is a terrorist group fighting for a separate Tamil state in the North and East of Sri Lanka. Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) – Proscribed October 2005 The LIFG seeks to replace the current Libyan regime with a hard-line Islamic state. The group is also part of the wider global Islamist extremist movement, as inspired by Al Qa’ida. The group has mounted several operations inside Libya, including a 1996 attempt to assassinate Mu’ammar Qadhafi. Minbar Ansar Deen (also known as Ansar al-Sharia UK) – Proscribed July 2013 Minbar Ansar Deen is a Salafist group based in the UK that promotes and encourages terrorism. Minbar Ansar Deen distributes content through its online forum which promotes terrorism by encouraging individuals to travel overseas to engage in extremist activity, specifically fighting. The group is not related to Ansar al-Sharia groups in other countries. Palestinian Islamic Jihad – Shaqaqi (PIJ) – Proscribed March 2001 PIJ aims to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine and to create an Islamic state. It opposes the existence of the state of Israel, the Middle East Peace Process and the Palestinian Authority, and has carried out suicide bombings against Israeli targets. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) – Proscribed June 2014 PFLP-GC is a left wing nationalist Palestinian militant organisation formed in 1968. It is based in Syria and was involved in the Palestine intifada during the 1970s and 1980s. The group is separate from the similarly named Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). From its outset, the group has been a Syrian proxy. PFLP-GC has been fighting in the Syrian war in support of Assad, including in Yarmouk Refugee Camp in July 2013. The group also issued statements in support of the Syrian government, Hizballah, and Iran. Revolutionary Peoples’ Liberation Party – Front (Devrimci Halk Kurtulus Partisi – Cephesi) (DHKP-C) – Proscribed March 2001 DHKP-C aims to establish a Marxist-Leninist regime in Turkey by means of armed revolutionary struggle. Salafist Group for Call and Combat (Groupe Salafiste pour la Predication et le Combat) (GSPC) – Proscribed March 2001 Its aim is to create an Islamic state in Algeria using all necessary means, including violence. Saved Sect or Saviour Sect – Proscribed July 2006 The Saved Sect /Al Ghurabaa is an Islamist group which seeks to establish an Islamic Caliphate ruled by Shariah law. The group first emerged as Al Muhajiroun in the UK, in 1996, led by Omar Bakri Muhammed, who then publicly disbanded the organisation in 2004. The organisation reformed in 2004 under the names Al Ghurabaa and the Saved Sect. While the Group has some links to groups overseas, it is based and operates within the UK. Note: The Government laid Orders, in January 2010 and November 2011, which provide that Al Muhajiroun, Islam4UK, Call to Submission, Islamic Path, London School of Sharia and 15 Muslims Against Crusades should be treated as alternative names for the organisation which is already proscribed under the names Al Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect. Sipah-e Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) (Aka Millat-e Islami Pakistan (MIP) – SSP was renamed MIP in April 2003 but is still referred to as SSP) and splinter group Lashkar-e Jhangvi (LeJ) – Proscribed March 2001 The aim of both SSP and LeJ is to transform Pakistan by violent means into a Sunni state under the total control of Sharia law. Another objective is to have all Shia declared Kafirs and to participate in the destruction of other religions, notably Judaism, Christianity and Hinduism. Kafirs means non-believers: literally, one who refused to see the truth. LeJ does not consider members of the Shia sect to be Muslim, so concludes they can be considered a ‘legitimate’ target. Note: The Government laid an Order in October 2013 which provides that Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat (ASWJ) should be treated as another name for the organisation which is already proscribed as Sipah-e Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and Lashkar-e Jhangvi (LeJ). Tehrik Nefaz-e Shari’at Muhammadi (TNSM) – Proscribed July 2007 TNSM regularly attacks coalition and Afghan government forces in Afghanistan and provides direct support to Al Qa’ida and the Taliban. One faction of the group claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on an army training compound on 8 November 2007 in Dargai, Pakistan, in which 42 soldiers were killed. Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) – Proscribed January 2011 Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan has carried out a high number of mass casualty attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan since 2007. The group have announced various objectives and demands, such as the enforcement of sharia, resistance against the Pakistani army and the removal of NATO forces from Afghanistan. The organisation has also been involved in attacks in the West, such as the attempted Times Square car-bomb attack in May 2010. Teyre Azadiye Kurdistan (TAK) – Proscribed July 2006 TAK is a Kurdish terrorist group currently operating in Turkey. Turkiye Halk Kurtulus Partisi-Cephesi (THKP-C) is also known as the Peoples’ Liberation Party/Front of Turkey, THKP-C Acilciler and the Hasty Ones – Proscribed June 2014 THKP-C is a left wing organisation formed in 1994. The group grew out of the Turkish extreme left Revolutionary Youth Movements which formed in the 1960s and 70s. THKP-C now also operates as a pro-Assad militia group fighting in Syria and has developed increased capability since the Syrian insurgency. THKP-C is assessed to have been involved in an attack in Reyhanli, Turkey, in May 2013, killing over 50 people and injuring over 100. The organisation has always been most prominent in the southern province of Hatay. A number of other groups have been formed under the THKP-C umbrella including ‘Mukavament Suriye’ (Syrian Resistance), which is reported to have been responsible for the recent Banias Massacre killing at least 145 people. 16 LIST OF PROSCRIBED GROUPS LINKED TO NORTHERN IRELAND RELATED TERRORISM Continuity Army Council Cumann na mBan Fianna na hEireann Irish National Liberation Army Irish People’s Liberation Organisation Irish Republican Army Loyalist Volunteer Force Orange Volunteers Red Hand Commando Red Hand Defenders Saor Eire Ulster Defence Association Ulster Freedom Fighters Ulster Volunteer Force 27 March 2015
