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Jundallah (Iran)

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Jundallah
LeaderAbdulmalak Rigi,
Also known as:
Emir Abdul Malik Baluch
FounderBaluch
Founded1980s
HeadquartersPakistani Balochistan and Waziristan
IdeologyGreater Balochistan, Baluch nationalism, Islamism, Religious Conservatism
International affiliationUSA and UK
Website
www.balochpeople.com
www.ostomaan.org

Jundullah (Army of God) (Persian: جندالله) is a militant Islamic organization that is based in Balochistan and affiliated with Al-Qaeda. It is a part of the Baloch insurgency in Pakistan and in Iran's Sistan and Baluchistan Province. The goal of the group is to form an independent and united Baluchistan. Jundallah claims that it has 1,000 fighters and has killed Iranian soldiers.[1] The group has been identified as a terrorist organization by Iran and Pakistan.[2]

Activities

The Iranian branch is believed to have emerged on the scene in 2003 and it is known for attacks against high profile Iranian targets, especially government and security officials. The leader is known to be Abdulmalak Rigi (also known as Emir Abdul Malik Baluch). In a May telephone interview with Rooz, (Iranian online newspaper),[3] Rigi defended Jundallah's use of violence as a just means to defend Baluch and Sunni Muslim interests in Iran and to draw attention to the difficult economic situation of the Baluch people, whom he describes as Iran's poorest. Significantly, Rigi declared himself an Iranian and Iran as his home. He also denied harboring separatist aspirations. According to Rigi, Jundallah's goal is to improve the life of Iranian Baloch and Sunnis and not to separate from Iran or even demand autonomy. Nevertheless, Iranian Jundallah's connection with the Pakistani branch raises some questions about the true intention of the group.

Support from the United States Government

On April 3, 2007, ABC News reported that the United States government had been secretly encouraging and advising Jundullah in its attacks against Iranian targets. This support is said to have started in 2005 and to have arranged so that the United States provides no direct funding to the group, which would require congressional oversight and attract media attention.[4][5] Fars News Agency reports that the United States government is involved in Jundullah terrorists acts.[6] On April 2, 2007, Abdul Malik Rigi, the head of the Iranian branch, appeared on Voice of America, the official broadcasting service of the United States government, which identified Rigi as "the leader of popular Iranian resistance movement". This incident resulted in public condemnation by Iranian-American communities in the U.S.[7][8][9][10]

Arrest of Waheed brothers

On July 3, 2004, Karachi police arrested two doctor brothers (Dr. Akmal Waheed, a cardiologist, and Dr. Arshad Waheed, an orthopaedic surgeon), who were missing, and presumed kidnapped since June 17. The police claimed to have recovered a car, the men's passports and visa cards from their possession. The doctors were said to have close links to Jundullah and Al-Qaeda, as they were providing shelter and financial and medical support to the terrorists, police claimed.[11]

They were charged with providing medical assistance and protection to the activists. They went underground after arrest of Shahzad Bajwa, the frontman and Ata-ur-Rehman, the chief of Jundullah, the spokesman further claimed. During investigations and later before the court, Ata-ur-Rehman, the chief of Jundullah, had confessed that Dr Akmal Waheed and Dr Arshad Waheed had close links to him and were extending help by all means, the police spokesman added.[12]

Death penalty for Jundullah activists

In February 2006 the Karachi anti-terrorist court awarded the death penalty and life imprisonment for eleven activists of Jundullah group for attacking the convoy of former Corps Commander Karachi, and incumbent Vice Chief of Army Staff, General Ahsan Saleem Hayat in Karachi on June 10, 2004.[13]

The accused were Ata-ur-Rehman, Shahzad Bajwa, Aziz, Danish Imam, Khurram Saifullah Shoaib Siddiqui, Rao Khalid, Shahzad Mukhtar, Adnan, Yaqoob Saeed, and Najeebullah belonging to a terrorist group nameld Jundullah. They were accused of attacking the convoy of Genera Ahsan Saleem Hayat near Clifton bridge. Some 10 people, including six soldiers and three police personnel, were killed and 21 injured in the attack.[13]

The judge also handed down 14-year and 10-year prison terms for planting a bomb and damaging public property respectively. The court also ordered the convicts to pay Rs one lakh each to the heirs of the deceased, along with Rs 50,000 each as a fine for an attempt to murder charge and another Rs 50,000 fine each for damage to public property. In case of default, they will have to serve an additional six month jail sentence.[13]

Once the judge announced the judgment, all the accused present in the court got to their feet and started to chant "Allah-o-Akbar" and flash victory signs. Family members and relatives of the accused were also present in the courtyard of the court.[13]

Five accused (Bilal, Qasim, Hammad, Shahab and Tayyeb) have already been declared absconding by the court.[13]

Defense councils said that they would challenge the judgment in Sindh High Court within the stipulated period of seven days.[13]

On 21 February, 2006 an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced 11 members of Jundullah to death for an attack on Deputy Chief of Army General Ahsan Saleem Hayat, a top military general of Pakistan Army in 2004 in which 11 people were killed.

See also

References

  1. ^ Massoud, Ansari (January 16, 2006). "Sunni group vows to behead Iranians". Washington Times. Retrieved 2007-04-05. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  2. ^ [1][2]
  3. ^ http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2370046
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference abc_jundullah was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Terrorist group operating in southeastern Iran hired by CIA
  6. ^ http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8511270322
  7. ^ http://www.alalam.ir/english/en-NewsPage.asp?newsid=018030120070404130601
  8. ^ http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=4710&sectionid=351020101
  9. ^ [3] (in Persian)
  10. ^ [4]
  11. ^ "Police declare arrest of two missing doctors". 2004-07-03. Retrieved 2006-08-28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference Brotherarrested was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ a b c d e f "Death penalty awarded to 11 activists of Jundullah group in Corps commander attack case". 2006-02-22. Retrieved 2006-08-28. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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