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An independent resource on Kashmir for researchers, journalists, academics,
and the curious.
November 2003: jammukashmir.net is back
on-line and will be updated. Apologies for the lapse over the summer.
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British Home Office Statement (covering Kashmiri Militant Groups), February
2001
[In February 2001 the British government announced its intention to proscribe three
Kashmiri militant groups. It issued the following statement.]
DRAFT ORDER OF ORGANISATIONS TO BE PROSCRIBED UNDER THE NEW TERRORISM ACT 2000
PUBLISHED TODAY
28/02/2001
A total of 21 international organisations, recommended for proscription under the new
Terrorism Act 2000, are listed in a draft Order laid before Parliament today by the Home
Secretary Jack Straw.
The draft Order will be subject to debates in and approval by both Houses of Parliament.
Specific offences relating to membership, support for and funding of a proscribed
organisation are included in the Act.
Mr Straw said:
"The Terrorism Act is important legislation which brings our provisions into line
with the European Convention for Human Rights and ensures that we are better able to deal
with the serious threats which terrorism poses.
"Taking account of police, security and legal advice, I have given careful
consideration to which organisations should be recommended for proscription.
"I believe that this action is both fair and proportionate to the threat that is
found, both in this country and abroad.
"Once proscription of these organisations takes effect, it will be open to any of the
terrorist organisations concerned - or any person affected by their proscription - to make
an application to me as the Home Secretary, for deproscription. If that application is
refused, the organisation can then appeal to a new independent tribunal, the Proscribed
Organisations Appeal Commission. This procedure also applies to those Irish terrorist
organisations listed in Schedule 2 of the Act.
"Proscription is an important power in the new Act - the UK has no intention of
becoming a base for terrorists and their supporters, nor to see it flourish abroad, and we
will take every legal action at our disposal to prevent this."
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. Under Part II of the Terrorism Act 2000, the Secretary of State has the power to
proscribe any organisation which he believes 'is concerned in terrorism'. An organisation
is 'concerned in terrorism' if it commits or participates in acts of terrorism, prepares
for terrorism, promotes or encourages terrorism, or is otherwise concerned in terrorism
either in the UK or abroad. 'Organisation' is defined as including 'any association or
combination of persons'. Once the statutory criteria are satisfied, the Secretary of State
then has discretion whether or not to proscribe a particular organisation.
2. In reaching his decisions, the Home Secretary also took into account a number of
factors including:
??The nature and scale of an organisation's activities;
??The specific threat that it poses to the UK
??The specific threat that it poses to British nationals overseas
??The extent of the organisation's presence in the UK
??The need to support other members of the international community in the global fight
against terrorism.
3. The list of Irish related organisations already proscribed in Schedule 2 of the Act is
unamended by the Order.
4. Proscribed organisations can at any time make an application to the Secretary of State
for deproscription. Should an application be unsuccessful, the organisation or any person
affected by their proscription can then appeal to the Proscribed Organisations Appeal
Commission (POAC), set up under section 5 and Schedule 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
(........)
Harakat Mujahideen
Aims: Harakat Mujahideen (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 world wide attacks against US and Western
interests.
History: HuA was established in 1993 and has since carried out a number of
terrorist attacks against Indian and Western interests.
Attacks: HM/HuA is believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of Western
tourists in Delhi and Kashmir in 1994 and 1995. British nationals were amongst those
missing and their whereabouts remain unknown. HM has also claimed responsibility for a
number of bombing campaigns within India. Media reports indicate that HM was responsible
for the hijack of an Indian Airlines flight, in December 1999, which led to the release of
several militants by the Indian government to secure the release of the passengers.
Representation/activities in the UK: HM has supporters in several areas of the UK.
Jaish e Mohammed
Aims: Jaish e Mohammed (JeM) seeks 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.
History: JeM was established in 2000 by Masud Azhar who remains its leader. The
group was formed following Azhar's release from prison in India in response to demands by
the hijackers of the Indian Airlines flight in December 1999.
Attacks: JeM carried out a number of terrorist attacks against Indian interests
during 2000. It claimed responsibility for a grenade attack in May against Indian
government buildings in Kashmir.
Attacks on UK or Western interests: The group has not as yet attacked UK or Western
interests.
Representation/activities in the UK: There are indications that JeM is gaining
support among militant Kashmiri separatists and that it has a number of supporters in the
UK.
Lashkar e Tayyaba
Aims: Lashkar e Tayyaba (LT) seeks independence for Kashmir and the creation of an
Islamic state using violent means.
History: LT has a long history of mounting attacks against the Indian Security
Forces in Kashmir. These attacks include the use of suicide squads. An LT leader declared
a 'Jihad' against American interests in 1998 following the US air strikes on Afghanistan.
Attacks: LT has been blamed for the massacre of 35 Sikhs in Jammu and Kashmir in
March 2000. More recently it launched attacks on Srinagar airport and the Red Fort New
Delhi. Several people were killed in these attacks.
Attacks on UK or Western interests: An LT leader recently made a public declaration
that he wished to expand the conflict with India beyond Kashmir.
Representation/activities in the UK: LT in the UK is mainly represented by Markaz
Dawa al Irshad, its political wing.
US Dept of State, Terrorist Profile 1999
Harakat ul-Mujahideen (HUM) a.k.a. Harakat ul-Ansar, HUA, Al-Hadid, Al-Hadith,
Al-Faran
Description: Formerly the Harakat ul-Ansar, which was designated a foreign
terrorist organization in October 1997. HUM is an Islamic militant group based in Pakistan
that operates primarily in Kashmir. Leader Fazlur Rehman Khalil has been linked to Bin
Ladin and signed his fatwa in February 1998 calling for attacks on US and Western
interests. Operates terrorist training camps in eastern Afghanistan and suffered
casualties in the US missile strikes on Bin Ladin-associated training camps in Khowst in
August 1998. Fazlur Rehman Khalil subsequently said that HUM would take revenge on the
United States.
Activities: Has conducted a number of operations against Indian troops and civilian
targets in Kashmir. Linked to the Kashmiri militant group al-Faran that kidnapped five
Western tourists in Kashmir in July 1995; one was killed in August 1995, and the other
four reportedly were killed in December of the same year.
Strength: Has several thousand armed supporters located in Azad Kashmir, Pakistan,
and India's southern Kashmir and Doda regions. Supporters are mostly Pakistanis and
Kashmiris, and also include Afghans and Arab veterans of the Afghan war. Uses light and
heavy machineguns, assault rifles, mortars, explosives, and rockets.
Location/Area of Operation: Based in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, but members conduct
insurgent and terrorist activities, primarily in Kashmir. The HUM trains its militants in
Afghanistan and Pakistan.
External Aid: Collects donations from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf and Islamic
states and from Pakistanis and Kashmiris. The source and amount of HUA's military funding
are unknown.
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