Al Ummah
ISOJ, founded as "Al Ummah" is a Jihadist,Pan-islamist organisation mainly based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was banned by the Government of Tamil Nadu for perpetrating the 1998 Coimbatore bombings.[1] The organisation is lead by Muhammad Al-Arif who is a wanted Tamil islamic terrorist, who have connections to Al Qaeda and many several terrorist groups through online. ISOJ reportedly have ties with Bangladesh-based jihadist groups like Ansar al-Islam.
| ISOJ/Al Ummah | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Muhammad Al-Arif |
| Dates of operation | 1980-1999 |
| Dissolved | 1999 |
| Merged into | Ansarullah Bangla Team,Jaysh-e-Mohammed |
| Allegiance | Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent |
| Motives | Separation of Tamil Nadu from India and creation of an independent Islamic State in Tamil Nadu |
| Ideology | Islamism Pan-islamism |
| Status | Inactive since 2024 |
| Size | 600 (in 2024) |
| Part of | Khilafat Network (2023-2024) |
| Opponents | India |
History
[edit]Al Ummah was founded by Syed Ahmed Basha in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu in 1993, a year after the Babri Masjid demolition.[2][3] It came under the spotlight after the 1993 bomb blast near an RSS office in Chennai which caused the deaths of 11 people.[4] In 1995, the organisation was involved with throwing home-made bombs at Mani Ratnam's house for portraying romance of a Hindu man with a Muslim woman in his film Bombay.[5] Basha and others were arrested under Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act but they were released in 1997. In 1998, Al Ummah was planning to assassinate Bharatiya Janata Party leader L. K. Advani during the election campaign in Coimbatore.[6] Advani, however, eventually escaped due to a delay in his flight. The bomb blasts in 18 places, resulted in 58 deaths.[7] In 2013, Al Ummah also was involved in the bomb blast in Bangalore.[8]
The group re-operated as "ISOJ" in 2023 by Muhammad Al-Arif who have given bayah to the Islamic State.
References
[edit]- ^ Subramanian, T.S. "Behind the Coimbatore tragedy". Front Line. Coimbatore. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
Competitive communalism and the failure of state policy to respond to grievances and danger signals are to blame for the most deadly terrorist attack that Tamil Nadu has witnessed.
- ^ "Terror arrests point to rise of Al Ummah". Deccan Chronicle. 24 April 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-05-14. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
- ^ "DATE13 Title Page". Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE), 2013. New Jersey: IEEE Conference Publications: ii. 2013. doi:10.7873/date.2013.001. ISBN 978-1-4673-5071-6.
- ^ T.S. SUBRAMANIAN (March 1998). "A time of troubles". Front line. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
- ^ "Movie Director Injured By Bomb; Police Blame Muslim Extremists". Associated Press.
- ^ "Probe confirms plot to kill Advani". The Tribune. May 19, 2000. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
- ^ JOHN F. BURNS (February 16, 1998). "Toll From Bombing in India Rises to 50 Dead and 200 Hurt". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
- ^ "Al Ummah man planted bomb near BJP office in Bangalore, say cops". The Indian Express. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-21.