– ISLAMIC JIHAD UNION – IJU

 

* Islamic Jihad Union – IJU is an Islamic terror group founded in Uzbekistan. IJU split from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan -IMU, in 2002. Not like IMU. which was a local Uzbek movement, the Islamic Jihad Union – IJU advocated globalization of the Jihad and cooperation with all Jihadi movements in the world.

The organization was led by Tohir Yuldashev and has conducted several attacks in Uzbekistan. The organization has ties to Al Qaeda through Muhammad Rabia Abdul Halim Shuaib known as Abu Hamza Rabia, who was a former Al Qaeda operative in Pakistan and was wanted there since 08/08/2004.  Abu Hamza Rabia was, eventually, killed in Pakistan on 12/03/2005.

In spring and summer 2004 Islamic Jihad Union – IJU launched a series of deadly attacks in Tashkent and the town of Bukhara, which claimed the life of about 50 people.

Following the 2004 the Uzbek authority cracked down the organization and arrested most of its activists and the organization practically ceased to exist in Uzbekistan. The British Ambassador to Uzbekistan – Craig Murray, later claimed that the IJU attacks were highly controlled and limited operations orchestrated by the Government.

Islamic Jihad Union – IJU had only a little impact on the civilian and political life in Uzbekistan but it managed to recruit volunteers abroad, mainly in Turkey and Germany, who came for a period of training in Uzbekistan. 

However some activists managed to flee the country and to operate abroad. Islamic Jihad Union – IJU activists were involved in the 2005 Ramstein Plot in Germany. Other volunteers from IJU were involved in the Lal Mosque crisis in Pakistan in summer 2007.  

Islamic Jihad Union – IJU used also, in order to deceive, the synonym “Uzbek Islamic Jihad” (UIJ).

 

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