Masood Azhar
Masood Azhar | |
---|---|
Birth name | Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi |
Born | Jaish-e-Mohammad | 10 July 1968
Relations | Abdul Rauf Azhar (brother) |
Mohammad Masood Azhar Alvi
Early life
Azhar was born in
Azhar dropped out of mainstream school after class 8 and joined the
Azhar later became the general secretary of Harkat-ul-Ansar and visited many international locations to recruit, to raise funds and to spread the message of Pan-Islamism. Among his destinations were Zambia, Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, Mongolia, the United Kingdom and Albania.[6]
Activities in Somalia
Azhar confessed that in 1993 he traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to meet with leaders of al-Itihaad al-Islamiya[citation needed], an al-Qaeda-aligned Somali group, who had requested money and recruits from Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM). Indian intelligence officials believe that he made at least three trips to Somalia and that he also helped bring Yemeni mercenaries to Somalia.[9]
Activities in the United Kingdom
In August 1993 Azhar entered the United Kingdom for a speaking, fundraising, and recruitment tour. His message of jihad was given at some of Britain's most prestigious Islamic institutions including the
Harkat-ul-Ansar
In 1993, the militant organisation
Arrest in India
In early 1994, Azhar travelled to Srinagar under a fake identity, to ease tensions between Harkat-ul-Ansar's feuding factions of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen.[6] India arrested him in February from Khanabal near Anantnag and imprisoned him for his terrorist activities with the groups.[9][6] On being arrested, he said "Soldiers of Islam have come from 12 countries to liberate Kashmir. We will answer your carbines with rocket launchers" [12] He was imprisoned at the Badami Bagh Cantonment in Srinagar, Tihar Jail in Delhi, and lastly the Kot Balwal Jail in Jammu (from where he would eventually be released).[13][14]
In July, 1995, six
Release after hijacking
Four years later, in December 1999, an
Shortly after his release, Azhar made a public address to an estimated 10,000 people in Karachi. He proclaimed, "I have come here because this is my duty to tell you that Muslims should not rest in peace until we have destroyed India," vowing to liberate the Kashmir region from Indian rule.[22]
In 1999, after Masood's release, the Harkat-ul-Ansar was proscribed by the U.S. and added to the list of banned terrorist organisations. This move forced Harkat-ul-Ansar to change its name to the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM).[11]
Jaish-e-Mohammed
Azhar planned to start a new outfit named as,
2001 Indian Parliament attack
Jaish-e-Mohammed carried out a string of deadly attacks against Indian targets, including the
Soon after the Indian parliament attack, on 29 December 2001, Masood Azhar was detained for a year by Pakistani authorities, after diplomatic pressure by India and International community, in connection with the attack but was never formally charged.[11] The Lahore High Court ordered an end to the house arrest on 14 December 2002, much to the fury of India.[26] Azhar was never arrested after that.[11]
2008 Mumbai attacks
On 7 December 2008, it was claimed that he was among several arrested by the Pakistani government after a military raid on a camp located on the outskirts of
2016 Pathankot attack
The 2016 Pathankot attack on Indian air base is said to be masterminded by Masood Azhar and his brother. They were in direct touch with terrorists even after the attack had begun. Indian investigative agencies have given dossiers containing proofs of Azhar's complicity in the terror attack and also sought a second ʽred corner noticeʼ from ʽInterpolʼ.[31][32]
2019 Pulwama attack
On 14 February 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel on the Jammu Srinagar National Highway was attacked by a vehicle-bound suicide bomber in Lethpora near Awantipora, Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir, India. The attack resulted in the death of 44 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and the attacker. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed.[33][34] He approved the attacks from the Pakistani Army Hospital where he is under protective custody.[35] After the attack, France, United Kingdom and United States moved a proposal at UN Security Council to ban Masood.[36]
Sanctions
The U.S. Treasury is prohibiting Americans from "engaging in any transactions" with three Pakistan-based militants and a front group. Al Rehmat Trust, called "an operational front" for Jaish-e Mohammed, was designated for providing support to and for acting for or on behalf of that group, and Mohammed Masood Azhar Alvi, Jaish-e Mohammed's founder and leader, was designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List for acting on behalf of the group.[37][38][39]
The Chinese government blocked a UN Security Council
Bibliography
Books and booklets by him
Described as a "prolific writer",[46] he has authored some 20 books mainly on jihad,[47] including:
- Fatah-ul-Jawad, described by scholar Ayesha Siddiqa as "his seminal work", it is a book on jihad "with two volumes of 2,000 pages each."[48]
- Faz̤āʼil-i jihād, kāmil. On the importance of Jihad; a 850-page commentary on Mashāriʻal-Ashwāq ilʹa-Maṣariʻ al-ʻUshshāq by the medieval scholar Ibn an-Naḥās. In 2002 it was estimated that some 20,000 copies of this book have been sold in Pakistan.[49]
- Yahūd kī cālīs bīmāryān̲ ("Forty Diseases Of The Jews").
- Muskurāte zak̲h̲m. Political autobiography.
- K̲h̲ut̤bāt-i jihād. Islamic sermons in two volumes on the eminence of Jihad according to the teachings of Islam.
- Rang o nūr. Collected columns chiefly on jihad and criticizing Pakistani government for following United States policies.
- Jamāl-i Jamīl. On the life of Muḥammd Jamīl K̲h̲ān, 1953-2004, a noted religious scholar.
- Zād-i mujāhid : maʻ maktūbāt-i k̲h̲ādim. On the eminence, views and interpretation of Jihad.
- 7 din raushnī ke jazīre par. 7 Days comprehensive course on Islamic teaching.
- Tuḥfah-yi saʻādat. Study of God's names in the Qur'an.
Books and booklets about him
- Maulānā Masʻūd Aẓhar, mujāhid yā dahshatgard by Muḥammad T̤āriq Maḥmūd Cug̲h̲tāʼī.
- Asīr-i Hind : Maulānā Masʻūd Aẓhar ke paidāʼish parvarish jihād men̲ shirkat by ʻAbdullāh Masʻūd.
See also
- Abdul Rauf Asghar
- Mohammed Omar
- Osama bin Laden
- Kandahar Hijacking
- List of fugitives from justice who disappeared
References
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- ^ Outlook Web Bureau (15 February 2019), "What Is Jaish-e-Mohammad? Who Is Masood Azhar?", Outlook India. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- ^ "Masood Azhar is now a UN global terrorist: Know what it means". Economic Times.
- ^ "The astonishing rise of Jaish-e-Mohammed: It's bad news for Kashmir, India and Pakistan". FirstPost. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "Masood Azhar: The man who brought jihad to Britain" (5 April 2016), BBC News. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
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India's most wanted. Vol. 19. Frontline. 2002. ISBN 0066210631.
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Watson, Paul; Sidhartha Barua (25 February 2002). "Somalian Link Seen to Al Qaeda". LA Times. Archived from the originalon 25 February 2002.
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- ^ a b c d e f g h "India fortifying case to put Jaish on ban list". The Hindu. 4 March 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
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- ^ "'Kandahar hijack was India's diplomatic failure'".
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- ^ a b Hussain, Zahid (5 January 2000). "Freed Militant Surfaces". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 1 September 2000. Retrieved 7 January 2008.
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"JeM chief Masood Azhar under house arrest". Times of India. 9 December 2008. Archivedfrom the original on 12 December 2008.
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- ^ "In Plain View". 23 March 2014. Archived from the original on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
- ^ "Jaish chief Masood Azhar identified as mastermind of Pathankot terror attack - Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 8 September 2017.
- ^ The Hindu Net Desk. "The 1267 Committee, China's hold and Masood Azhar: A short history". The Hindu.
- ^ "What is Jaish-e-Mohammad". BBC. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
- ^ "Sanctions List Materials | United Nations Security Council". www.un.org. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
- ^ "Masood Azhar gave nod for Pulwama attack from Army base hospital in Pakistan - Times of India ►". The Times of India. 17 February 2019. Retrieved 17 February 2019.
- ^ "Surgical airstrike: Kandahar Jaish hijacker Yusuf Azhar was present at Balakot camp, say sources - India News". 27 February 2019. Archived from the original on 27 February 2019.
- ^ "U.S. Treasury targets Pakistani militants". CNN. 4 November 2010. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012.
- ^ US Department of the Treasury Archived 2010-11-11 at the Wayback Machine. Treas.gov. Retrieved on 2013-03-14.
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- ^ "China's move to block ban against Azhar came just before deadline". The Hindu. 2 April 2016. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016.
- ^ Sutirtho Patranobis (23 April 2016). "China fumes after India issues visa to Uyghur 'terrorist'". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016.
- ^ "China blocks India's move to ban Jaish chief Masood Azhar, again". Hindustan Times. 1 October 2016. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016.
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- ^ "If China continues to block Masood Azhar's designation as 'global terrorist', UN may be forced to pursue other actions: UNSC diplomat". Firstpost. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
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- ^ Ben Brandt, "AZHAR, MASOOD" in Peter Chalk, Encyclopedia of Terrorism, ABC-CLIO (2013), vol. 1, p. 79
- ^ Zahid, Farhan. "Profile of Jaish-e-Muhammad and Leader Masood Azhar." Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses, vol. 11, no. 4, 2019, p. 2
- ^ Ayesha Siddiqa (13 March 2019), "Jaish-e-Mohammed: Under the Hood", The Diplomat. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- ^ Husain Haqqani, "Review" in Foreign Policy, No. 132 (Sep.-Oct., 2002), p. 73
- ^ Ahmed, Tufail. "'Forty Diseases Of The Jews' – Pakistan Army-Backed Jihadi Commander Maulana Masood Azhar's Book Says: 'Jews Are The Cancer Seeping Into All Of Humanity'". memri.org. Middle East Media Research Institute. Archived from the original on 28 February 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ Shrenik Rao (19 February 2019), "China Is Now Pakistan's Partner in Jihadist Terror", Haaretz. Retrieved 12 May 2020.