Masaryk University
The ideology and identity of the Islamic Jihad Union organization
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- 4.2 Islamic Jihad Union operations in Afghanistan
- 4.3 Islamic Jihad Union’s German link-Operation ‘Alberich’
- 4.4 Islamic Jihad Union’s operations in Pakistan
4.1 The ideology and identity of the Islamic Jihad Union organization. Thomas Hegghammer in his book introduced the preference- based typology of Islamist activism and his typology was consisted of 5 rationales: (1, State oriented; 2, Nation oriented; 3, Umma oriented; 4, Morality-oriented; and 5, Sectarian). 119 In our case I would like to choose two of them. First is state-oriented and second is Umma-oriented. He divided the rationales into two groups and mentioned them as non-violent and violent forms of manifestations. The state-oriented according to Thomas Hegghammer includes the socio revolutionary activism and violent form of manifestation; the Umma-oriented Islamism seeks also the violent form of manifestation and includes two types of: the classical and global jihadism.120 Thomas Hegghammer also introduced that the state-oriented Islamism is identified by a will to change the political and social organization of the state but Umma-oriented Islamism is differentiated by a will to protect thee Islamic community wholly from the external threats Comparing the activities of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan and taking into account the Thomas Hegghemmer’s definitions we can come into conclusion that Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan at the beginning was state oriented and then they moved into classical jihad group when they joined Taliban. But the split organization from Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Islamic Jihad Union stayed global jihad oriented and as Einar Wigen mentioned in his research the Uzbekistan stayed the central part in the ideology of Islamic Jihad Union and the Western community and states played a crucial role in its ideology than it does with Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan’s and added that Islamic Jihad Union often indicates the existence and participation of United States troops in Saudi Arabia, unsolved situation over Palestine and to the areas where Global Terrorist network Al-Qaeda often focused.121 The Islamic Jihad Union introduces its ideologies using the Islamic Jihad Union’s internet website ‘Şehadet Zamani’, which plays an important role how the group sends its messages and communicates its ideology through written declarations released online. It is difficult to identify if the administrator of the group’s website is taking part in Islamic Jihad Union’s operations or personally has the relationships with the leaders of the group. The media groups Elif (first letter of the Arabic alphabet) Media and Bedr-I Tevhid also shows regularly the videos concerning the Islamic Jihad Union. Ronald Sandee in his analyses and research at NEFA Foundation mentioned that Islamic Jihad Union changed its strategy from Uzbekistan oriented and went into more globally oriented one at 2005.122 If we will pay attention how and especially which targets choose the Islamic Jihad Union it is difficult to distinguish the group between socio revolutionary which according to Thomas Hegghammer means to focus on mainly government targets or between a global oriented jihadist groups. Selahaddin Turki in his interview to the Islamic Jihad Union’s website ‘Sehadet Zamani’ at 10/06.2008 mentioned that the Islamic Jihad Union is fighting against ‘Sionist-Crusaders’ and against the ‘Occupant Crusader troops and its allies’, and he didn’t mentioned the name of concrete country.123 Selaheddin Turki in his interview declared for the public that many centuries ago the whole Islamic community gathered together around the flag of jihad and fought against the Crusaders.124 Today operating from Hindikush mountains with the help of Allah and under the leadership of Ebu Yahya Muhammed Fatih and military council the Islamic Jihad Union is gaining its success in its operations as well as morally and physically.125 The commander of Islamic Jihad Union Ebu Yahya Muhammad Fatih in his interview to the groups web site ‘Sehadet Zamani’ to the question about their recent and future activities answered that they are cooperating with the Caucasian mujahedeen and they are working together on plans and aims against the infidel regime in Uzbekistan which is the one of the goals of Islamic Jihad Union.126 Speaking about the Caucasian mujahedeen Ebu Yahya Muhammad Fatih didn’t mentioned concretely with which groups in Caucasus they are cooperating. Einar Wigen argued that if the Islamic Jihad Union chose the Afghan and American targets in Afghanistan instead of choosing targets related to Uzbekistan and especially directly the Karimov regime, there seems not to be a sequence between word and deed and wondered about the participation of other mujahedeen from the other part of the world in fight against Karimov regime in Uzbekistan.127
The information about the operation of Islamic Jihad Union was published on the Islamic Jihad Union’s website ‘Sehadet Zamani’. On that information Islamic Jihad Union took the responsibility about the attack which was committed on the 31st of May 2008 near the Jalalabad in the east part of the Afghanistan and also it was mentioned that Saidi Kurdi explored Suzuki car packed with explosives and destroyed two military Hummers of the occupiers. According to that information on the web site the as the result of that operation the occupiers faced many dead and wounded soldiers.128 The governor of the province said that that attack took the life on one US soldier and wounded three other soldiers, that also injured three Afghan civilian bystanders, however the officials of NATO later declared that two foreign soldiers were killed and four wounded in that attack129. Saidi Kurdi also appeared on the photo with German mujahidin Eric Breininger. Islamic Jihad Union with the fighters from Taliban attacked the NATO bases in Morga (Paktika Province), fired 19 BM rockets and 6 82 mm mortar rounds in 12 May 2008.130 In 28 May 2008 the Islamic Jihad Union with the mujahedeen linked to Al-Qaeda launched 16 BK rockets in the Paktika province of Afghanistan. The Islamic Jihad Union declared that the attacks were operated from two different parts.131 In 29 May 2008 the Islamic Jihad Union with Taliban launched BM rockets to the Khost province of Afghanistan and as the soldiers of occupiers moved back from their positions.132 Islamic Jihad Union took the responsibility to another attack in Afghanistan. On their website ‘Sehadet Zamani’ the Islamic Jihad Union reported that Abu Muslim Kurdi (Hasan Alpfidan) drove his Toyota car packed with 1 ton of explosives into the Meydan-e Zashe in Khost province in Afghanistan and made an explosion where the Afghanistan Intelligence Service office is located.133 Islamic Jihad Union estimated that attack very successful and according to their report in ‘Sehadet Zamani’ more than a hundred officials and soldiers of Afghanistan Intelligence Service agency was killed, their office was absolutely destroyed and more than 60 soldiers were injured hardly and sent to the hospitals.134 10 July 2008 three fighters of Islamic Jihad Union; Ammar (Uzbekistan), Hamza (Kyrgyzistan) and Ebu Yusuf (Turkey) were killed by the NATO soldiers in Afghanistan.135 The next published report about the Islamic Jihad Union activity published on the ‘Sehadet Zamani’ website where the group took the responsibility about the guerilla attack against the NATO and Afghan soldiers in 22 July 2008 with the participation of Taliban. On the Kandahar Kabul highway the fighters attacked the 6 military vehicles and destroyed one of them totally and killed and injured many soldiers.136 In 21 July 2008 the Islamic Jihad Union with the Taliban fighters attacked the NATO soldiers at Setekand-Gardez highway in Paktia province of Afghanistan.137 Islamic Jihad Union on 24 July 2008 with Taliban fighters in Paktia province of Afghanistan attacked the NATO soldiers and as they claim they destroyed several military vehicle of NATO alliance and killed 10 soldiers138. At the same day on 24 July 2005 the Islamic Jihad Union with the fighters from Al-Qaeda fired the NATO soldiers with the ‘Katyusha’ rockets in Paktika province of Afghanistan.139 Islamic Jihad Union released new information about their new operation that took place on 17 August 2008 in Afghanistan province Paktia against Afghanistan National Army (ANA) and added that the soldiers were killed and their weapons were taken from them by Islamic Jihad Union fighters and after operation on their way home they faced the bomb attack by F-18 jets, and as a result of that attack they lost 5 Taliban and 2 Islamic Jihad Union fighters (Berra Turki, Abdullah Uzbeki)140 In 10 August 2008 the Islamic Jihad Union with Taliban attacked the military Afghanistan National Army convoy in Paktia province of Afghanistan and destroyed two military vehicles and killed 8 soldiers.141 Five days later on 15 August 2008 the Islamic Jihad Union with Taliban fighters attacked the NATO convoy with 75 mm mortars and 16 BM rockets on Gardez Khost highway in Paktika province of Afghanistan and destroyed several military vehicles and explored the fuel tanker.142 15 September 2008 Islamic Jihad Union attacked the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) in Paktia province (Lwora region) of Afghanistan with 18 BM rockets, and after two days in 17 September 2008 Islamic Jihad Union committed further attack in Paktia province (Zambela region) of Afghanistan against NATO forces and used 10 BM rockets.143 In 20 September 2008 Islamic Jihad Union explored the bomb that controlled from distance, placed before the explosion, which destroyed the military Hummer vehicle of NATO forces and killed the soldiers inside it that took place in Paktia province (Setekend region) of Afghanistan.144 Islamic Jihad Union claimed that they destroyed the military helicopter (Apache) of NATO forces in Paktia province (Setekand region) of Afghanistan in 23 September 2008.145 The member of Islamic Jihad Union, the jihadist from Azerbaijan Ebu Omer Lezgi (picture 11)146 carried out a suicide attack in Khost province of Afghanistan on 21 November 2008, used more than three tones of explosives packed in a truck and killed more than hundred enemies of Islam and completely destroyed the Town Hall.147 The group declared this operation as the revenge to their seven dead mujahedeen brothers. Islamic Jihad Union in ‘Sehadet Zamani’ declared and took the responsibility about other two attacks in Afghanistan. First according to Islamic Jihad Union took place on 25 April 2008, when Islamic Jihad Union with Taliban fired with 16 BK rockets the Paktika province of Afghanistan (Morga) where the NATO alliance hold its military bases.148 Four days later in 29 April 2009 the Islamic Jihad Union committed the second attack against the NATO soldiers in Paktika province (Gardez) in Afghanistan and in their report to ‘Sehadet Zamani’ about this operation the Islamic Jihad Union declared that eight NATO soldiers were killed and two cars were destroyed totally149 Picture 11
Islamic Jihad Union used the land mine in the north art of Afghanistan and destroyed two military vehicles of Afghan National Army (ANA) in the 28 May 2009 and in the same day the Islamic Jihad Union with the fighters from Taliban committed the guerilla attack to the Afghan National Army (ANA) and destroyed three military vehicles.150 Islamic Jihad Union with Taliban fighters took the responsibility of BM and air rocket attacks committed from 26th to 27th May the US military headquarters and Afghan National Army (ANA) offices in Khost region of Afghanistan. In that operation the fighters used 5 BM rockets and 12 82mm air rockets which took the lives of six soldiers.151 11 June 2009 Islamic Jihad Union in the northern part of Afghanistan in Kunduz region explored the ‘Ranger’ military car using the land mine and killed two and injured three Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers.152 Paying attention to the all attacks committed by the Islamic Jihad Union in the territory of Afghanistan it is easy to come into conclusion that the group prefers to use the conventional guerilla and partisan methods of attacks against the United States, NATO and Afghan National Army (ANA) in the region. The military convoys in many cases are becoming the targets of the fighters of Islamic Jihad Union. Also one more interesting factor in all the attacks committed by the Islamic Jihad Union is that they are in many cases are operating jointly with the fighters from Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Also it is possible to sea that the Paktia and Paktika provinces of Afghanistan are controlling well by the Islamic Jihad Union organization. 4.3 Islamic Jihad Union’s German link-Operation ‘Alberich’ The suspicious email between Germany and Pakistan were intercepted by the United States Security Agency, which lead to the beginning of the so called ‘Operation Alberich’ in October 2006.153 The consequences of that information were followed to the arrest of two German converts Fritz Martin Gelowicz and Daniel Schneider in the Sauerland region of Central Germany and later the third man of the Turkish nationality Adem Yilmaz was arrested.154 Those three persons were considered to be the Al-Qaeda linked Islamic Jihad Union group members.155 At a vacation house in the Sauerland region they were caught in the action of preparing the explosive substances using the chemical ingredients, and according to the group of investigators the explosives founded in that house were prepared in order to detonate in front of the United States military base in Germany, in front of nightclub, or in front of the main airports (Ramstein Air Bse and Frankfurt International Airport) , and as the investigators counted the amount and the power of that explosives were enough in order to make the bloodiest and the most terrible terror attack in the history of Europe.156 The German recruits Fritz Gelowicz and Daniel Schneider according to the German authorities were considered very dangerous and stated that their German passports allowed them to travel freely in Europe and the motives of Islamists according to the Minister of Internal Affairs of Germany were a self-destructive hatred of Western civilization.157 The team of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) observed the car, which contained several passengers, which moved back and forth near the Huiter Barracks in Lamboy in the city Hanau located in the West Germany which is also known as the home of the military base of the United States soldiers in December 31 2006 in the New Year’s Eve and when the car stopped by the German police they found out that the passengers were Fritz Martin Gelowicz, Atilla Selek, Ayhan T and Dana Bohouri and when the passengers of that car were interrogated by German police what brought them to those places the passengers answered that for them it was very interesting how Americans are celebrating the New Year’s Eve. 158 On January 6 German police searched the apartment of Fritz Gelowicz in order to find some evidences about the Islamist plans, but their efforts were not successful, however they found nothing. Then the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) decided to install the cameras in order to observe the German recruit Fritz Martin Gelowicz more closely.159 The search in the apartment of Ayhan T was very successful for the Federal Criminal Police (BKA). The video that they found in the apartment showed a group of people gathering together and singing a song in Turkish language about jihad and Ayhan’s speech in Tukish language about jihad also was in that video.160 When another suspicious person Atilla Selek noticed that the agents are following and observing him, stopped his car in the red light of traffic light, went out from his car, moved toward the agent’s car, pulled out knife and cut the tires of the car in which the agents were followed him.161 Referring to the copies of the messages between German Islamists and about their links in Pakistan, Fritz Martin Gelowicz who was considered to be the ringleader of the German cell (also was known as Abdul Malik), Atilla Selek who was known as Muraz and Zafer Sami who considered to be the friend of Daniel Schneider, according to the intelligence services of the United States had links with the leaders of Islamic Jihad Union in Pakistan.162 Fritz Martin Gelowicz few years ago became under the attention and control of German police because of his relationships with Yehia Yousif who is considered to be the mentor for young Muslims and under the leadership of Yehia Yousif the Multi-Kultur Haus in new Ulm (Bavaria) became the place where the German and Turkish Muslim recruits met regularly.163 The investigators noticed that the radical preachers of hate attended the Multi-Kultur-Haus and recruited holy warriors for Jihad and collected financial support for Jihad from them and among the seized materials by investigators in the Multi-Kultur-Haus were found provocative writings against Christians and Jews.164 Ronald Sandee in his analysis and researches at NEFA Foundation mentioned that Yehia Yousif founded the Multi-Kultur-Haus in 21 June 1996, and linked the Multi-Kultur House with the 1 September 2001 attacks and especially with the heads (Muhammad Atta and Ramzi Binalshib) of the Hamburg Cell.165 Fritz Martin Gelowicz regularly met Yousif Yehia and had conversations with him and when police searched the Multi-Kultur-Haus they found materials which according to them could be the part of the substances to make the bombs.166 The Multi-Kultur-House association was closed by the state government of Bavaria after it had evidence materials proving their urging young Muslims to carry out suicide attacks even in Iraq and Yousif Yehia disappeared after the Multi-Kultur-Haus was shut down.167 After the graduation from University Fritz Martin Gelowicz left Germany and went to Saudi Arabia in order to gain the religious education and stayed there about 18 month and his friends Adem Yilmaz and Atilla Selek also considered being with him in Saudi Arabia at that period of time.168 Islamic Jihad Union encouraged by Fritz Gelowicz and according to the Central Intelligence Agency official the German recruit Fritz Gelowicz arrived in March 2006 to the northern part of Pakistan where Islamic Jihad Union has its training camps.169 It was considered that the suspects are believed to have paramilitary trainings in the al-Qaeda related training camps in Pakistan.170 According to the United States intelligence service German recruit Fritz Martin Gelowicz with the support of another jihadist Adem Yilmaz travelled through Antalya (city in Turkey) to Zahedan (city in Islamic Republic of Iran) and from Zahedan he successfully managed to cross the Iranian Pakistani border and finally arrived into Pakistan.171 After arriving to Pakistan in March 2006 German jihadist Fritz Martin Gelowicz together with Turkish jihadists Adem Yilmaz probably had several conversations in order to find out the ways how to send the secret and important messages from Pakistan to Germany and after those discussions they started to send their messages through Yahoo mailbox but their way of sending messages was not so difficult, and that way was familiar to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Agency (NSA) and German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), and they easily get access to their communications without any trouble and the code names as ‘the gift’, ‘trainee’ and ‘wedding’ were used very frequently in those messages and the secret service agencies the definition of those words remained a puzzle 172. From Islamic Jihad Union side the answers replied by the pseudonym as ‘Sousa’.173. A Turkish jihadist Adem Yilmaz and Fritz Martin Gelowicz travelled to Hannover in order to obtain the chemicals on July 20. They were looking for the substance called hydrogen peroxide which the manual of Islamic Jihad Union explained the ways how to enrich the commercially achievable hydrogen peroxide to aggregations up to sixty five or seventy percent using starch which is derived from the flour. Fritz Gelowicz and Adem Yilmaz were familiar with those ways how to prepare the ingredients and they were tried to buy flour in more quantities, and later in Hannover the Turkish jihadist Adem Yilmaz and German recruit Fritz Martin Gelowicz after their last shopping in July discussed the possible damage that they can bring and the power of their homemade bomb, and as the possible targets they concentrated their plans on the airports (Rammstein Air Base and Frankfurt International Airport), night disco clubs or on the American Barracks.174 On July 30 the German police found the place which was marked in the investigators map as a Wittensveiller where German jihadists Fritz Martin Gelowicz, Daniel Schneider and Turkish jihadist Adem Yilmaz had rented a garage in which the German police discovered 12 containers of 35 percent hydrogen peroxide, and totally 750 kilogram chemical substances that they planned to use in their home made bomb.175 In the late August they get in touch with the Uzbek man from the northern part of Pakistan who was very angry in the conversation and urged the German recruit Fritz Martin Gelowicz to hurry and gave to Fritz fourteen days for the final preparations.176 The end of the fourteen days showed to the date 15 September 2007 and this date for the German police and secret services was the possible date of attack by the jihadists. 5 September 2007 German local police stopped the cars in which were the recruits Fritz Martin Gelowicz, Daniel Schneider and Turkish jihadist Adem Yilmaz and when the German police checked out their names they found out that their names are in the BKA list and they arrested Adem Yilmaz and Daniel Schnieder, but however Fritz Martin Gelowicz was able to escape but after 300 meters from his safe house he also was arrested by the German authorities177. Another jihadist Atilla Selek was detained in Turkey and was extradited to Germany in the late November 2007.178 These group simply also was known as the Sauerland Group. German court in 03/04/2010 sentenced Fritz Martin Gelowicz and Daniel Schneider to 12 year, Adem Yilmaz to11 year and Atilla Selek to 5 years in jail.179 In conclusion I would like to say that Islamic Jihad Union network in Europe not limit in Germany. Islamic Jihad Union could have its networks in other countries also; however in April 2009 the Turkish police arrested several people who considered being in contact with the Islamic Jihad Union and among that people was the leader of Islamic Jihad Union in Turkley Mahmut Kaplan.180 Also several people were arrested and blamed for the support of Uzbek fighters by French, Dutch and German security service agencies.181 I 4.4 Islamic Jihad Union’s operations in Pakistan Islamic Jihad Union was active in Pakistan. Three men that are considered to have links with the Islamic Jihad Union were attempted to blow up the explosive devices in the public park of Rawalpindi in Islamabad which is the capital of Pakistan in October 2006.182 As the targets they chose the government targets. One day after the Pakistani police defused other two rockets that were attached to the mobile devices near the Constitution Avenue which was near the President Pervez Musarraf’s residence in Islamabad.183 The Pakistani government office mentioned that that 2 rockets they found were not target specific and ‘the devices were inaccurate and crude and they could be fired remotely as well as physically.’184 The Islamic Jihad Union chose as its target the Pakistani government because it supported the United States of America.185 Another three person; Khalil Wyne, Ali Ahmed Gondal and Munir Akhtar were arrested by the Pakistani police in October 22186.Khalil Wyne was considered to be the mastermind of the plot and accused of attempting to make an explosions with rockets in the Presidency and Pakistani Inter Service Intelligence Headquarters on 5 October 2006187. In interrogation with those persons the Pakistani police found more rockets, plastic explosives and other weapons which they got from the Islamic Jihad Union and brought them to the capital of Pakistan. The Pakistani army launched an attack against the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan fighters in Mir Ali where the Islamic Jihad Union also operated actively.188 Download 397.92 Kb. Share with your friends:
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