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Kach (Kahane Chai) - Jewish extremist movement

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Kach (Kahane Chai) - Jewish extremist movement

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Kach (Kahane Chai) was a far-right Jewish extremist movement founded in Israel by Rabbi Meir Kahane in 1970s. The organization believed in ultra-nationalist and religious ideologies, promoting Jewish theocracy and the removal of Arabs from Israel and the occupied areas. The organization was banned in Israel and later declared as terrorist organization by USA, EU and other countries.

The group's violent actions were mostly based on a radical view of Judaism and nationalism. They said that Jewish law (Halakha) required only Jews to control the land of Israel, which included the West Bank and Gaza. They also saw Arabs as an existential threat to Jewish survival and saw violence against them as defensive and religiously okay. Kach rejected coexistence because they believed that God's promise only gave the land to the Jewish people.

Kach's words made terrorism seem like a religious responsibility by blurring the line between self-defense and religious devotion.

1. In 1994, a member of Kach killed 29 Muslim worshipers in Hebron in the Baruch Goldstein massacre. The group praised the act as divine punishment and called Goldstein a "martyr."

2. Incitement campaigns: Kach activists often said that violence was a way to punish "traitors" (including moderate Jews and Israeli leaders) who wanted peace talks with Palestinians.

3. Rejection of peace agreements: They saw agreements like the Oslo Accords as going against God's will, which made it okay to use violence to stop any compromise.

Kach used religion and nationalism to defend terrorism by saying that killing people was both a holy task and a way to protect the country. It shows how extremist groups can use faith as an excuse for violence.

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The Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU)

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Fact Sheet: Meir Kahane & The Extremist Kahanist Movement

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Meir Kahane founded a violent Jewish extremist movement promoting racism and ethnic cleansing. His followers have committed deadly attacks on Palestinians & others.

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Shining Path (a.k.a Sendero Luminoso) is a maoist terrorist organization that appeared in Peru at the end of the 1970s. Its founder and leader, Abimael Guzman, believed that the country was trapped in class struggle and called for a “people’s war.” He thought violence was the only way to destroy the old system and build a new communist order.

The group described its attacks as part of a revolution, arguing that bombings and killings were not crimes but necessary steps toward creating a just society. They were attacking ordinary people and explained that saying those people were “traitors” or helping the enemy. This show the whole logic was based on one idea like “if you not with us then you’re against us”.

Shining Path tried to present itself as the defender of poor farmers and rural communities, but in reality, these people suffered the most from their violence. Unlike other leftist movements in Latin America, Shining Path didn’t separate soldiers from civilians, which made them especially cruel. According to Peru’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the conflict took around 70k. Most of them were destroyed by Shining Path.

Also, the danger of this movement was recognized by the international community. In the United States, Shining Path was placed on the list of terrorist organizations in 1997, and in the European Union in 2002.

In the end, their leader, Abimael Guzman, died in prison in 2021 while serving a life sentence for terrorism. His body was cremated because the authorities feared that a grave could become a place of worship for the group’s remaining supporters.

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The leader and founder of Peru's Shining Path rebel group, Abimael Guzmán, has died at the age of 86.
A former philosophy professor, he had been serving a life sentence for terrorism and treason since 1992.

In July he suffered health problems and was transferred from a maximum security prison to a hospital.

Almost 70,000 people died or disappeared in more than a decade of conflict between the Maoist guerrilla group and the Peruvian state.

Guzmán's arrest hit the group hard, but a few of its members are still active in the coca-producing region.

Guerrilla in the making

Abimael Guzmán was born on Peru's southern coast near the town of Mollendo in December 1934 to a wealthy merchant who raised him after Guzmán's mother died.

The future rebel leader had a privileged upbringing. He attended a private Catholic secondary school and later the university in Arequipa, where one of his dissertations was on German philosopher Immanuel Kant.

While at university he became interested in Marxism. By 1962 he had earned a place as professor of philosophy at San Cristóbal of Huamanga National University in the central city of Ayacucho.

During a trip to China in 1965 Guzmán was inspired by Communist leader Mao Zedong and upon his return to Peru he encouraged like-minded academics to join him at the university in Ayacucho.

In 1969, he and 11 others founded the Shining Path - Sendero Luminoso in Spanish. The name was chosen as a nod to Peruvian communist José Carlos Mariátegui who said that "Marxism-Leninism is the shining path of the future".

Shining Path

Militant group founded in the late 1960s by former university philosophy professor Abimael Guzmán

Becomes a guerrilla group in the 1980s and wages a bloody insurgency against the Peruvian government

Almost brings the Peruvian state to its knees in the 1980s with its estimated membership of 10,000

Almost 70,000 people die or disappear in more than a decade of internal conflict

Guzmán and his partner, Elena Iparraguirre, are arrested in 1992 and sentenced to life in prison by a secret military court

Their arrest is a heavy blow to the group, whose numbers dwindle to a few hundred in Peru's coca-producing region

Inspired by Maoism, the guerrilla group tried to lead a "people's war" to overthrow Peru's "bourgeois democracy" and establish a communist state.

An offshoot of the Communist Party of Peru, the group did not engage in armed struggle at first.

Kicking off a brutal conflict

The turning point came in 1980 when the military, which had been ruling Peru for 12 years, allowed democratic elections to be held.

The Shining Path not only boycotted the election but actively disrupted it by burning ballot boxes in Ayacucho. The guerrilla group's aim was to establish a communist state and therefore it was not interested in democratic polls.

Instead the group imposed its ruthless rule on the rural areas it seized, killing villagers suspected of siding with the government. It also spread fear through show trials and public executions.

The assassinations and car bombings which its members carried out in the following years almost brought the government to its knees.

The government imposed a state of emergency in the highlands and armed local militias known as rondas to fight back.

The atrocities committed by the military in its fight against the rebels drove some people, especially in rural areas, to side with the Shining Path.

But the Shining Path's brutal enforcement of its rules and the show trials and executions did much to undermine the support of those who may have at first been sympathetic with the group's goals.

One of the deadliest incidents happened in 1983 when in and around the area of Santiago de Lucanamarca 69 locals were killed with axes, machetes and guns in retaliation for the earlier killing of a Shining Path commander.

But the atrocities were not limited to rural areas. In 1992, two truck bombs detonated by the Shining Path in Lima's Miraflores district killed 25 and injured 155 more.

The insurgency effectively came to an end in September 1992, when Peruvian intelligence finally captured Guzmán above a dance studio in Lima.

The authorities had long suspected rebels were hiding in apartments in the capital and became suspicious of one owned by ballerina Maritza Garrido Lecca.

Although she claimed to live alone, the apartment generated far too much rubbish for just one person.

When the agents searched through it, they found medicine to treat psoriasis - a skin condition Guzmán was known to suffer from.

Officers arrested Guzmán inside, along with his second wife, Elena Iparraguirre, and a number of other revolutionaries. He was reportedly watching the boxing on television when he was arrested.

Judges wearing hoods to obscure their identities sentenced Guzmán to life in prison after a three-day trial, under drastic new judicial measures imposed by then-President Alberto Fujimori just months earlier.

He was sent to be held at an offshore naval base on San Lorenzo island.

In October 1993, the Maoist rebel appeared on television and publicly called on his followers to "fight for peace". Following his statement, about 6,000 members of the Shining Path surrendered under a government amnesty programme.

A number of senior members of the Shining Path have been captured since Guzmán's arrest and the group has been largely dismantled. Only small remnants remain active in the Andes regions where they engage mainly in drug-trafficking.

Guzmán underwent another, longer trial in 2004, after President Fujimori's authoritarian measures were repealed. Restrictions on the media were tight, preventing reporters from following the proceedings.

He was convicted of aggravated terrorism and murder in October 2006, and again received a life sentence.

Guzmán spent his remaining years in solitary confinement at a naval prison in El Callao, west of Lima. He was allowed to marry his fellow Shining Path guerrilla Elena Iparraguirre behind bars in 2010.

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Abimael Guzmán: Peru's Shining Path guerrilla leader dies at 86

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Guzmán led the Maoist rebel group which in the 1980s almost brought the Peruvian state to its knees.

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Imirat Kavkaz (IK), founded in late 2007 by now-deceased Chechen extremist Doku Umarov, is an Islamist militant organization based in Russia’s North Caucasus. Its stated goal is the liberation of what it considers to be Muslim lands from Moscow. The group, now led by Abu Usman Gimrinskiy, also known as Magomed Suleymanov, regularly conducts attacks against Russian security forces in the North Caucasus. In the period 2010-2013, it carried out high-profile suicide bombings against civilian targets in Moscow and elsewhere in Russia that killed dozens.

1. Defense Against Occupation and Religious Persecution

This justification frames the conflict as a defensive religious war (jihad) against a foreign occupying power. The group asserts that the North Caucasus is Muslim land that has been under continuous and brutal occupation by the Russian state, citing historical events like the 19th-century Caucasian War, Stalin's deportations, and the modern Chechen Wars. They argue that Russian forces and policies are actively suppressing Islamic practice, persecuting pious Muslims, and imposing secular laws. Therefore, violent attacks are presented as a legitimate and obligatory religious response to defend their land, faith, and community from annihilation and oppression.

2. Retaliation for State Violence and Atrocities

This rationale is based on the principle of "an eye for an eye." The group points to specific actions by Russian military and security forces—such as targeted killings, torture, extrajudicial arrests, and the killing of civilians in operations—as direct provocations. Each attack is often framed as a direct retaliation for a recent specific event. By doing this, they attempt to create a narrative of action and reaction, justifying their violence as a necessary and proportional response to the violence first inflicted upon them by the state.

3. Targeting Apostates and Enforcing Takfir

The definition of a "legitimate target" beyond Russian security personnel to include any local Muslims who work for or with the Russian state. This includes local government officials, police officers, judges, and religious leaders who endorse the government. The group's ideology employs the concept of takfir (excommunication), declaring these individuals apostates for enforcing man-made laws instead of Sharia and for aiding a non-Muslim power against Muslims. This theological declaration is used to justify their killings, arguing that apostates are even more deserving of punishment than the original non-Muslim oppressors.

(AITMOLDA NURZAT)

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The acronym, transcribed from Russian: АУЕ or А.У.Е., comes from Арестантский уклад\устав един or Арестантское уркаганское единство. which can be translated into English as "Prisoner's Structure/Code is United" and "Prisoner's Criminal Unity".

It was not a formal organization, but rather a criminal subculture and informal youth movement in Russia and parts of the post-Soviet space. It glorified prison life, criminal hierarchy, and “thieves-in-law” (воры в законе), promoting the idea that prison rules should dominate outside prison walls too.

They were recruiting teenagers into gangs that followed prison codes, extorting money from schoolchildren (“общак” – common fund for prisoners), promoting violence, theft, and criminal authority figures. They often spread via schools, orphanages, and juvenile detention centers.

In 2020, the Supreme Court of Russia declared АУЕ an extremist organization, with some media even describing it as terrorist-like. The main reason behind the ban was that the movement was seen as corrupting youth on a mass scale. It encouraged organized crime, violence, and a rejection of state authority, etc.

The АУЕ movement had risen to prominence in the 2000s and 2010s, gaining particular influence in Siberia and Southern Russia. After the court ruling in 2020, its open activity sharply declined, although certain elements of the subculture have continued to exist underground.

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Blekingegadebanden was a danish gang, who caused violence, killings, robberies and threats. They justified their actions by making political support to PFLP, who was a party fighting for a free Palestine. Blekingegadebanden were active from 1972-1989.

Blekingegadebanden were a radical left wing gang, who were upset with western capitalism. They were convinced that The West used the so called '3rd world countries' to get even richer on their behalf. Therefore, Blekingegadebanden robbed banks, department stores and weapon- and ammunition warehouses in Denmark and Sweden. They also planned to kidnap prominent danish people, who they would only release for considerable amounts of money. Blekingegadebandens primary goal was to obtain solidarity with suppressed people around the world, who they indeed sympathized with. They used their criminal actions to obtain attention to these people, and also they wanted to donate the stolen items including weapons and money to PFLP. This would according to the members, help PFLP's to obtain their political goals.

Blekingegadebanden was never officially recognized as a terrororganization. Some explains this fact with the extremely discreet and secretive way that the group acted. This behaviour made it extremely hard for the authorities to obtain knowledge about the members and their actions, and it was first in the 00's that former members started speaking publicly about Blekingegadebanden. At this time, the gang was dissolved long ago, and it was no longer current to stamp the gang as a terrorristorganization. Even though, Blekingegadebanden lived up to several criterias for being a terrororganization. With violence, robberies and lots of other criminal actions, they tried to obtain political change, and to support PFLP, who was and is designated a terrorist organization by several countries and international organizations.

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Al-Qaeda defines their concept of jihad as a "defensive jihad" against supposed enemies of Islam, therefore justifying its terrorist acts. The organization believes that the United States and its allies—especially Israel—are spearheading a worldwide conspiracy to subjugate Muslims, attack Muslim territory, and back pro-Western governments in the Middle East. Under the direction of people like Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al-Qaeda's leadership has turned jihad into a worldwide fight aimed at cleansing Islam and reconstructing an Islamic kingdom. Inspired by the ideas of intellectuals like as Sayyid Qutb, who criticized the West and branded Muslim leaders not following rigorous Islamic rules as "apostates," this philosophy derives Al-Qaeda appeals to the idea of martyrdom to justify its fight, therefore persuading its adherents that those who die in jihad would be rewarded in the next world. They attract by using complaints within the Muslim community, framing their cause as social justice and resistance against outside persecution.

Gunaratna, R. (2005, May 19). Al Qaeda's Ideology. Hudson Institute. https://www.hudson.org/national-security-defense/al-qaeda-s-ideology

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FARC: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia(Assemay Khobdabayeva)

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FARC: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia(Assemay Khobdabayeva)

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“According to several human rights organisations and research institutes, since the Colombian government and the FARC signed the peace deal in November 2016, over 700 social and political leaders have been killed in different incidences of political violence.” (Peoples Dispatch).

FARC, Marxist guerrilla organisation in Colombia. Formed in 1964 as the military wing of the Colombian Communist Party (Partido Comunista de Colombia; PCC), the FARC is the largest of Colombia’s rebel groups, estimated to possess some 10,000 armed soldiers and thousands of supporters, largely drawn from Colombia’s rural areas. The FARC supports a redistribution of wealth from the wealthy to the poor and opposes the influence that multinational corporations and foreign governments (particularly the United States) have had on Colombia. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/FARC)

Also according to the results of the investigation, ETA has been training FARC members in explosives and weapons since 2003, as well as providing logistical support to the Colombian guerrillas in the execution of several terrorist attacks. In exchange, FARC compensated the Basque terrorists for their training and assistance, using financial revenues obtained through drug trafficking. In this sense, the two organisations have engaged in an economic and tactical partnership, enabled by their ideological affinities but dictated by pragmatic reasoning.

Justifying the actions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) involves an analysis of its political, social, and economic motivations. FARC initially emerged as a response to deep-rooted inequalities in Colombia, particularly land distribution. Inspired by Marxist-Leninist ideology, the group sought to advocate for rural farmers and combat what they viewed as government repression. The Colombian state, backed by elite interests and U.S. counter-insurgency efforts, fueled this perception of injustice, particularly during the Cold War when leftist movements worldwide were heavily influenced by global anti-imperialist sentiment​.

However, FARC's transition into involvement with the drug trade, kidnapping, and extortion shifted the focus of their struggle. Some argue that the group's justification for violence became harder to defend as their actions increasingly victimized the very civilians they purported to protect. The involvement in drug trafficking and brutal tactics caused public opinion to turn against them, despite their original goal of addressing social inequalities

References:

Case Analysis: The FARC in Colombia | Small Wars Journal

FARC in Colombia: Twenty-First-Century US Imperialism and Class Warfare | SpringerLink

https://jamestown.org/program/colombias-farc-and-the-basque-eta-exploring-the-tactical-and-economic-partnership/

https://medium.com/@stevemateus/colombias-tragedy-the-farc-2ed2fa89fb73

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Colombia’s FARC and the Basque ETA: Exploring the Tactical and Economic Partnership

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A recent Spanish-Colombian counterterrorism investigation has confirmed the previously widespread belief that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia – FARC) and the Basque Homeland and Freedom group (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna – ETA) have enjoyed mutually beneficial logistical and tactical connections. According to the results of the investigation, ETA has been training FARC members in explosives …

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Basque Separatist Movement (ETA) by Sabina T.

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Basque Separatist Movement (ETA) by Sabina T.

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The Basque separatist group ETA (Euskadi Ta Askatasuna) justifies its use of terrorism as a necessary means to achieve the political objective of Basque independence from Spain. ETA claims that its violent actions are a response to what it perceives as the illegitimate occupation and oppression of the Basque people by the Spanish state. The group argues that peaceful methods have been exhausted and that violence is the only remaining tool to force the Spanish government to grant independence. ETA frames its actions in terms of fighting for justice and self-determination, emphasizing that its goals align with the legitimate aspirations of the Basque people for freedom. This ethical justification is rooted in a belief that when a state uses violence to maintain control, non-state actors are equally entitled to use violence to achieve liberation.

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Kurdish Workers Party is a party organized by Kurdish students in 1978 in Eastern Turkey. Initially it was a small group but it expanded rapidly in the 80s due to the economic difficulties and state discrimination faced by millions of Kurds. They strived for an independent state or at least a recognized autonomy but the Turkish government was not ready to make any concessions. Thousands of Kurdish freedom fіgһtеrs, Turkish law enforcement forces as well as many civilians caught in a crossfire lost their lives.

The main justifications PKK stated to ground their actions are cultural oppression by the Turkish government and state issued violence against many of the Kurdish activists who were protesting peacefully initially. Another justification is a desire for an independent state or an autonomy inside a Turkish state. All of the justifications can be classified as deontological particularistic as they strife specifically for the welfare of Kurds in Turkey and neighboring nations.

Currently PKK is not as active as it was during the 80s and the 90s, however they became a quite important player in Syrian Civil War. They together with Turkish government destabilize situation in Syria using it as a playground for their individual benefits.

Kurdish Workers Party is quite unique in its essence as despite operating in the Middle East, it doesn't have a religious agenda but purely ethnonational. They even started as a Marxist Socialist but soon switched to regular secular democracy which puts them apart from Hezbollah, ISIS and Al Qaeda with whom they occasionally had open confrontations.

PKK are considered as a terrorist organization only by Turkey and several allied states.

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Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) is a Pakistan-based militant organization founded in 2000 by Maulana Masood Azhar - a radical Islamist scholar and jihadist leader, following his release from an Indian jail on 31 December 1999 in exchange for 155 hostages hijacked aboard an Indian Airlines aircraft. Azhar reportedly formed JeM with the support of the Afghan Taliban, Osama bin Laden and several Sunni extremist organizations in Pakistan.

JeM primarily conducts terrorist attacks in the Indian-administered region of Jammu and Kashmir. Its stated aim is to annex Indian-administered Kashmir to Pakistan and enforce an Islamist agenda. JeM has carried out numerous high-profile attacks, including the 2001 Indian Parliament attack and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, which escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. Most Jaish-e-Mohammed attacks have been described as fidayeen (suicide terrorist) attacks.

It has been designated a terrorist organization by several countries, including India, the U.S., and the U.N., due to its violent activities and ties to global jihadist networks.

JeM derives income from both legitimate business interests and Islamic charitable foundations. The Al-Rehmat Trust is the principal source of income for JeM and continues to operate despite being sanctioned by several countries.

In order to somehow justify the actions of this organization, it is important to point to perceived political, religious, or nationalist grievances - such as the disputed status of Kashmir or resistance to foreign or state oppression. What's more it seems that conventional diplomacy has failed and violent means are the only path to achieving political autonomy or addressing injustice.

References:

1. Australian National Security Website. (n.d.). Australian National Security Website. https://www.nationalsecurity.gov.au/what-australia-is-doing/terrorist-organisations/listed-terrorist-organisations/jaish-e-mohammad

2. South Asia Terrorism Portal. (n.d.)

https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/states/jandk/terrorist_outfits/jaish_e_mohammad_mujahideen_e_tanzeem.htm

3. Wikipedia contributors. (2024, September 14). Jaish-e-Mohammed. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaish-e-Mohammed

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Irish paramilitary group abbreviated (IRA) with a political movement of anti-imperialism and Irish republicanism, whose aim is to achieve full independence of Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom, including - and mainly - ending the military occupation of Northern Ireland. The Irish Republican Army was founded in 1919 after the merger of the “Irish Volunteers” and the “Irish Citizen Army”, the main enemies were considered to be supporters of the preservation of the province within the United Kingdom, as well as the British security forces. The group's most important objective was to establish a republic, end British rule in Northern Ireland and reunite the whole of Ireland.

Now, the main question is how did they justify their actions ?

In Timothy Shanahan's book, "The Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Morality of Terrorism", you can find out how the IRA justified its actions. Looking at the struggle through the theory of just war, the IRA simply retaliated against Britain, it was a response of violence to violence. Furthermore, the Irish saw themselves as freedom fighters fighting against oppression and injustice at the hands of the aggressor and its ally in the form of traitors. It is important to clarify why the IRA was recognised as a terrorist group at some point. So up until 1969 it was essentially a just war of independence, but in that year the organisation split into two factions: The Official IRA (OIRA), which renounced violence, and the Provisional IRA (PIRA), which continued the armed struggle. The Provisional IRA began to be recognised as a terrorist group as their methods of fighting changed, for example they used bombings, assassinations and other forms of violence to achieve their goals, resulting in many civilian casualties in Britain. Moreover, many terrorist groups began to support the Provisional IRA in the fight against the UK by supplying them with more and more weapons, where civilians suffered the most. Secondly, one of the justifications was that the Provisional IRA considered themselves a politically legitimate organisation (the Legitimate Army). They argued that their actions were aimed at achieving political goals that could not be achieved peacefully.

References:

1. Jackson, B. A., Baker, J. C., Cragin, K., Parachini, J., Trujillo, H. R., & Chalk, P. (2005). Provisional Irish Republican Army. In Aptitude for Destruction, Volume 2: Case Studies of Organizational Learning in Five Terrorist Groups (1st ed., pp. 93–140). RAND Corporation.

2. Shanahan, T. (2009). The Provisional Irish Republican Army and the Morality of Terrorism. Edinburgh University Press.

3. Jackson, B. A., Chalk, P., Cragin, R. K., Newsome, B., Parachini, J. V., Rosenau, W., Simpson, E. M., Sisson, M., & Temple, D. (2007). Provisional Irish Republican Army. In Breaching the Fortress Wall: Understanding Terrorist Efforts to Overcome Defensive Technologies (1st ed., pp. 83–114). RAND Corporation.

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Kata’ib Hizballah (KH), an Iraqi Shia militia group designated as a terrorist organization by several countries, including the United States, justifies its violent actions by framing them as resistance against foreign occupation, particularly the U.S. military presence in Iraq. KH portrays its activities as part of a broader struggle against what it views as imperialism and foreign interference in the region, often invoking the protection of Shia communities and defense of Islam as key motives.

KH also aligns itself ideologically with Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, emphasizing the defense of Shiite interests and opposition to Israel. Its justification often involves a narrative of defending Iraq’s sovereignty and fighting against perceived threats from external forces, including the U.S., Israel, and other Western or regional actors it deems hostile.

While KH sees its actions as part of legitimate "resistance," its violent attacks, including rocket strikes and bombings targeting U.S. forces and Iraqi government officials, are widely condemned as acts of terrorism by international actors.

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The Taliban is a Sunni Islamist nationalist and pro-Pashtun movement founded in the early 1990s that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until October 2001. The movement’s founding nucleus—the word “Taliban” is Pashto for “students”—was composed of peasant farmers and men studying Islam in Afghan and Pakistani madrasas, or religious schools. The Taliban found a foothold and consolidated their strength in southern Afghanistan.

By 1994, the Taliban had moved their way through the south, capturing several provinces from various armed factions who had been fighting a civil war after the Soviet-backed Afghan government fell in 1992. By September 1996, the Taliban had captured Kabul, killed the country’s president, and established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban’s first move was to institute a strict interpretation of Qur‘anic instruction and jurisprudence. In practice, this meant often merciless policies on the treatment of women, political opponents of any type, and religious minorities.

MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR (DECEASED)

In the years leading up to the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States, the Taliban provided a safe haven for al-Qa‘ida. This gave al-Qa‘ida a base in which it could freely recruit, train, and deploy terrorists to other countries. The Taliban held sway in Afghanistan until October 2001, when they were routed from power by the US-led campaign against al-Qa‘ida.

In arguably the most significant development in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region since the May 2011 death of al-Qa‘ida founder Usama Bin Ladin, the Taliban in July 2015 revealed that its reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, had died in 2013. Omar, who was the president of Afghanistan during the Taliban’s rule and a major Bin Ladin supporter, was wanted by the US Government through the Rewards for Justice program. Mullah Akhtar Mohammed Mansur, who was Omar’s second-in-command, in early August 2015 was selected as the new Taliban leader. Mansur is only the second leader that the group has ever had.

TALIBAN FLAG

The Afghan Taliban are responsible for most insurgent attacks in Afghanistan, which follow an established pattern of regular low-level ambush and hit-and-run attacks, coupled with periodic high-profile attacks. The Taliban have been moving aggressively in many parts of the country, evidenced by the fact that suicide and complex attacks increased by 78 percent countrywide in the first six months of 2015 compared with the same period in 2014. The Taliban between 7 and 10 August 2015 conducted a series of attacks in quick succession in Kabul that resulted in at least 60 deaths, marking the deadliest stretch in the capital since the US-led invasion in 2001. In the first attack, a suicide bomber detonated a large truck bomb in a residential area while attempting to target an Afghan Defense Ministry building, killing 15 civilians and wounding up to 400 others. On its own, the explosion caused an unprecedented number of casualties from a single attack in the capital in recent years—the Taliban is widely suspected of having conducted the attack although they did not claim responsibility for it because of the massive civilian casualties. Less than 24 hours later, over 40 cadets and civilians were killed when a suicide bomber dressed in police uniform blew himself up at the entrance of Kabul Police Academy. Later that day a Taliban squad targeted Resolute Support Mission installation Camp Integrity, killing at least nine, including one NATO serviceman. On 10 August a Taliban suicide bomber plowed a car into a checkpoint near the entrance to Kabul International Airport, killing at least 5 and wounding 15.

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BACKGROUND

The Taliban is a Sunni Islamist nationalist and pro-Pashtun movement founded in the early 1990s that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until October 2001. The movement's founding nucleus-the word "Taliban" is Pashto for "students"-was composed of peasant farmers and men studying Islam in Afghan and Pakistani madrasas, or religious schools. The Taliban found a foothold and consolidated their strength in southern Afghanistan.

By 1994, the Taliban had moved their way through the south, capturing several provinces from various armed factions who had been fighting a civil war after the Soviet-backed Afghan government fell in 1992. By September 1996, the Taliban had captured Kabul, killed the country's president, and established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban's first move was to institute a strict interpretation of Qur'anic instruction and jurisprudence. In practice, this meant often merciless policies on the treatment of women, political opponents of any type, and religious minorities.

In the years leading up to the 11 September 2001 attacks in the United States, the Taliban provided a safe haven for al-Qa'ida. This gave al-Qa'ida a base in which it could freely recruit, train, and deploy terrorists to other countries. The Taliban held sway in Afghanistan until October 2001, when they were routed from power by the US-led campaign against al-Qa'ida.

In arguably the most significant development in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region since the May 2011 death of al-Qa'ida founder Usama Bin Ladin, the Taliban in July 2015 revealed that its reclusive leader, Mullah Mohammed Omar, had died in 2013. Omar, who was the president of Afghanistan during the Taliban's rule and a major Bin Ladin supporter, was wanted by the US Government through the Rewards for Justice program. Mullah Akhtar Mohammed Mansur, who was Omar's second-in-command, in early August 2015 was selected as the new Taliban leader. Mansur is only the second leader that the group has ever had.

The Afghan Taliban are responsible for most insurgent attacks in Afghanistan, which follow an established pattern of regular low-level ambush and hit-and-run attacks, coupled with periodic high-profile attacks. The Taliban have been moving aggressively in many parts of the country, evidenced by the fact that suicide and complex attacks increased by 78 percent countrywide in the first six months of 2015 compared with the same period in 2014. The Taliban between 7 and 10 August 2015 conducted a series of attacks in quick succession in Kabul that resulted in at least 60 deaths, marking the deadliest stretch in the capital since the US-led invasion in 2001. In the first attack, a suicide bomber detonated a large truck bomb in a residential area while attempting to target an Afghan Defense Ministry building, killing 15 civilians and wounding up to 400 others. On its own, the explosion caused an unprecedented number of casualties from a single attack in the capital in recent years-the Taliban is widely suspected of having conducted the attack although they did not claim responsibility for it because of the massive civilian casualties. Less than 24 hours later, over 40 cadets and civilians were killed when a suicide bomber dressed in police uniform blew himself up at the entrance of Kabul Police Academy. Later that day a Taliban squad targeted Resolute Support Mission installation Camp Integrity, killing at least nine, including one NATO serviceman. On 10 August a Taliban suicide bomber plowed a car into a checkpoint near the entrance to Kabul International Airport, killing at least 5 and wounding 15.

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National Counterterrorism Center | Groups

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BACKGROUND The Taliban is a Sunni Islamist nationalist and pro-Pashtun movement founded in the early 1990s that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1996 until October 2001. The movement's founding nucleus-the word "Taliban" is Pashto for "students"-was composed of peasant farmers and men studying Islam in Afghan and Pakistani madrasas, or religious schools.

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Aleph, better known by their former name Aum Shinrikyo, is a Japanese new religious movement and doomsday cult founded by Shoko Asahara in 1987. It carried out the deadly Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995 and was found to have been responsible for the Matsumoto sarin attack the previous year.

The group justified its violence, including the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin gas attack, by arguing that the attacks were necessary to accelerate the coming apocalypse and hasten the transformation of the world.

In Aum's view, this catastrophic event would lead to a purified world order under their control. By carrying out violence, Aum believed they were eliminating the "impure" people who stood in the way of their spiritual mission, positioning their actions as part of a larger cosmic struggle.

Additionally, Aum Shinrikyo justified its violence by invoking the concept of "poa," a Buddhist idea that claims killing someone may release their soul and give them a better rebirth. Asahara used this concept to argue that killing people in their attacks was an act of salvation, sparing victims from the suffering of living in a corrupt world.

While Aum Shinrikyo claimed to act out of religious conviction, its justifications were a deeply warped manipulation of spiritual ideas used to justify mass violence and terrorism. The group’s apocalyptic beliefs, combined with a cult of personality around Asahara, provided the ideological framework for its terrorist activities.

Reference:

Lifton, R. J. (1999). Destroying the World to Save It: Aum Shinrikyo, Apocalyptic Violence, and the New Global Terrorism. Metropolitan Books.

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Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) is a Pakistan-based Islamist militant group founded in 1987 by Hafiz Saeed and Zafar Iqbal. It is one of the largest and most active terrorist organizations in South Asia, primarily operating in the Kashmir region and responsible for several high-profile attacks, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks. LeT is ideologically aligned with Salafi jihadism and aims to establish an Islamic state in South Asia and beyond.

LeT justifies its terrorist activities by considering them as jihad against non-Muslims, particularly targeting India over the Kashmir conflict. The group claims that their actions are a religious duty to protect oppressed Muslims, seeking to liberate Kashmir from Indian rule. LeT also portrays their attacks as a means to weaken states they consider oppressors of Islam, invoking theological interpretations of jihad to legitimize violence.

References:
Center for Strategic and International Studies. (2022, November 8). Examining extremism: Lashkar-e-Taiba. https://www.csis.org/blogs/examining-extremism/examining-extremism-lashkar-e-taiba

Encyclopaedia Britannica. Mumbai terrorist attacks of 2008. In Britannica.com.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Mumbai-terrorist-attacks-of-2008

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The Red Army Faction (RAF), also known as the Baader-Meinhof Group, was a radical leftist organization that operated in West Germany from the 1970s to the 1990s. The RAF's justification for their acts of terrorism was deeply rooted in their Marxist-Leninist ideology and their critique of Western capitalist societies.

1. Anti-Imperialism and Anti-Capitalism: The RAF viewed West Germany as a capitalist state deeply complicit in global imperialism. They believed that the capitalist system was fundamentally oppressive and exploitative, serving the interests of imperialist powers like the United States. They argued that violence was a necessary tool to combat and dismantle this system of oppression.

2. Resistance to State Repression: The RAF framed their actions as resistance to what they saw as a repressive and authoritarian state apparatus. They believed that the West German government was repressive and served the interests of capitalist elites, and that violent resistance was justified to counteract this state violence and to expose its repressive nature.

3. Revolutionary Mobilization: The group sought to incite a broader revolutionary movement. They saw their acts of terrorism, such as bombings and assassinations, as a means to spark class struggle and encourage revolutionary consciousness among the working class and marginalized groups. They believed that by disrupting the status quo, they could mobilize popular support for a revolutionary overthrow of the existing system.

4. Symbolic and Strategic Targets: The RAF targeted symbols of capitalist and state power, including government officials, corporate executives, and military personnel. They justified these actions as attacks on the institutions that perpetuated oppression and exploitation, arguing that such symbolic strikes were crucial for advancing their revolutionary goals.

5. International Solidarity: The RAF also justified their actions through a sense of solidarity with other revolutionary and anti-imperialist movements worldwide. They viewed their struggle as part of a global fight against capitalist imperialism and believed that their violent actions were a contribution to this larger international cause.

The Red Army Faction and Revolutionary Terrorism: "An Examination of Political Justifications"

Author: G. B. Cohen

Journal: Studies in Conflict & Terrorism

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ASG - Abu Sayyaf Group (Ozari Vohidzoda)

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ASG - Abu Sayyaf Group (Ozari Vohidzoda)

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Who are they?

Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is a terrorist organization based in the southern Philippines, formed in the early 1990s. It originally emerged as a militant group seeking to establish an independent Islamic state in the region.

How do they justify their attacks?

1. Religious War (Jihad): ASG claims their violence is part of a jihad to defend Islam, justifying bombings and attacks on non-Muslims.

2. Secessionist Goals: They argue that their acts, like the 2004 SuperFerry bombing, are efforts to create an Islamic state separate from the Philippines.

3. Funding Their Cause: Kidnappings for ransom are justified by ASG as necessary to support their "holy" war, even though it often benefits the group's leaders financially.

Refference: https://www.dni.gov/nctc/groups/abu_sayyaf.html

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BACKGROUND

The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is the most violent of the Islamic separatist groups operating in the southern Philippines and claims to promote an independent Islamic state in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. Split from the Moro National Liberation Front in the early 1990s, the group currently engages in kidnappings for ransom, bombings, assassinations, and extortion, and has had ties to Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). The ASG operates mainly in Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi Provinces in the Sulu Archipelago and has a presence on Mindanao. Members also occasionally travel to Manila.

The ASG has used terror both for financial profit and to promote its jihadist agenda. In April 2000, an ASG faction kidnapped 21 persons-including 10 Westerners-from a Malaysian resort, and, in May 2001, the ASG kidnapped three US citizens and 17 Filipinos from a resort in Palawan, Philippines, later murdering several of the hostages, including one US citizen. In June 2002, one of the two remaining hostages was killed in a crossfire between Philippine soldiers and the ASG. On 27 February 2004, members of ASG leader Khadafi Janjalani's faction bombed a ferry in Manila Bay, killing 116, and on 14 February 2005 they perpetrated simultaneous bombings in the cities of Manila, General Santos, and Davao, killing at least eight and injuring about 150. In 2006, Janjalani's faction relocated to Sulu, where it joined forces with local ASG supporters who are providing shelter to fugitive JI members from Indonesia.

In July 2007, members of the ASG and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front engaged a force of Philippine marines on Basilan Island, killing 14. In November 2007, a motorcycle bomb exploded outside the Philippine Congress, killing a Congressman and three staff members. While there was no definitive claim of responsibility, three suspected ASG members were arrested during a subsequent raid on a safe house. In January 2009, the ASG kidnapped three International Red Cross workers in Sulu province, holding one of the hostages for six months. Philippine marines in February 2010 killed Albader Parad, one of the ASG's most violent sub-commanders, on Jolo Island. In 2011, the ASG kidnapped several individuals and held them for ransom. In February 2012, a Philippine military airstrike against a terrorist encampment on Jolo Island killed senior ASG leader Gumbahali Jumdail, also known as Dr. Abu.In March 2013, the ASG released an Australian citizen the group had held hostage for fifteen months. In June 2014, Philippine authorities arrested senior ASG figure ASG Khair Mundos in metro Manila.
INFORMATION UPDATED AS OF JANUARY, 2014.

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National Counterterrorism Center | Groups

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BACKGROUND The Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) is the most violent of the Islamic separatist groups operating in the southern Philippines and claims to promote an independent Islamic state in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.

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Grey Wolves is an ultra-right terrorist organization founded in 1970 in Turkey by Arpaslan Turkesh. Their ideology consists of idealism, pan-Turkism and neo-fascism and Islam. This organization opposes the ideas of totalitarianism, capitalism, and fascism, as stated in the oath of the Grey Wolves. They spread the ideas of the superiority of the Turkic peoples, calling them to create a Great Turan through violence. They expand their ideas beyond Turkey, appearing in Turkic countries. Grey Wolves are prohibited in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Russia.

The Grey Wolves use ideology like Turkish nationalism to justify their actions. They believe that Turks should defend their identity and sovereignty from the leftish worldviews. This organization also explains this by saying that only they can defend themselves by attacking first.  They use the history of pan-Turkism and the ties of the Turkic peoples, also using wolves as a sign of nobility and honesty, encouraging young people to serve and give their lives for the idea.  Religion, and in particular Islam, is also the basis of their causes, but it is not as important as the ethnic factor.

Langmoen, S. THE IDEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK OF THE TURKISH MHP AND THE GREY WOLVES. THE POLICY OF NATIONAL SECURITY, 69.

Minasyan, N. THE NATIONALIST ACTION PARTY AND THE IDEOLOGY OF PAN-TURKISM.

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Who is Al-Shabaab?

Al-Shabaab is an Islamist rebel group that emerged in Somalia in 2007, aiming to remove Ethiopian troops residing in the country and to establish an Islamic state. The conflict began when Ethiopia was in de-facto control of the Somali government. In the year of its emergence, the group released one statement about the goal of Al-Shabaab:

“When we force Ethiopia to withdraw its troops from our country, its traitors will follow and the people will be able to embrace an Islamic government. Democracy is not right. They call it democracy when a man marries another man and a woman marries another woman. How can such things be allowed to happen?”

From this statement, the conclusion is that Al-Shabaab was calling for the creation of an anti-democratic Islamic state. (UCDP, 2023).

How they justify:

Al-Shabaab’s motivations for using violence are rooted in three goals:

Al-Shabaab aims to establish an Islamic state in Somalia and the broader Horn of Africa governed by their strict interpretation of Sharia law.

Al-Shabaab opposes foreign intervention in Somalia, particularly by Ethiopia, AMISOM and Western nations.

Al-Shabaab uses violence as a tool for propaganda to recruit new members and gain support.

Al-Shabaab justifies its use of violence through religious and ideological rhetoric. They claim that their actions are a form of jihad or holy war against enemies of Islam. They argue that the use of force is necessary to defend Islam, implement Sharia law, and protect Muslim lands from foreign invaders. Additionally, they frame their violent acts as a defence of their beliefs and a legitimate response to what they view as aggression against their community and religion. (Marchal, 2019)

References:

UCDP. (2023). Al-Shabaab, General information, Conflict issues. Uppsala Conflict Data Program.

https://ucdp.uu.se/additionalinfo/717/0

Marchal, R. (2019, March). Motivations and Drivers of Al-Shabaab. pp. 309-317.

https://academic.oup.com/book/35091/chapter-abstract/299149628?redirectedFrom=fulltext

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Boko Haram is an Islamist based militant group in Nigeria, and is affiliated to and receives funding from Al-Qaeda. They are exceedingly vocal concerning their intolerance of Western education and made the news for their abduction of over 250 Nigerian school girls. Boko Haram literally means that western education is anathema. Boko Haram is alleged to have killed at least 6,742 civilians between 2009 and 2014. The group was originally established as a Sunni Islamic group and advocates for the proliferation of the very intolerant Sharia law in places where they have seized power. They continue to threaten an overthrow of the Nigerian government, which they say has become heavily biased and open to Western influence. In June of 2011, they successfully carried out the bombing of the UN headquarters located in Abuja.

How they justify?
Boko Haram's name loosely translates to "Western education is forbidden." The group has consistently argued that Western education and values are corrupting Muslim youth and leading them away from Islam. They believe that by attacking schools, universities, and educational institutions, they are purifying society.
Boko Haram's leaders have claimed to be establishing an Islamic state or caliphate in Nigeria, where they believe Islamic law (Sharia) should be the only legal system. They argue that their violence is necessary to achieve this goal and to defend Muslims from perceived oppression by the Nigerian government and security forces.
Abubakar Shekau, one of Boko Haram's former leaders, has appeared in numerous video messages where he has made threats, claimed responsibility for attacks, and articulated the group's goals. In these videos, he often expressed the group's radical interpretation of Islam and its opposition to Western education and values.
Boko Haram's justifications, as outlined by the group's leaders, are more closely aligned with their extremist interpretation of Islam and their desire to establish an Islamic state governed by their interpretation of Sharia law. They believe that their actions are religiously mandated and justified by their radical religious ideology. These justifications are not based on a utilitarian calculus of maximizing overall well-being or on deontological principles that emphasize the inherent morality of actions. Instead, they are rooted in their extremist religious beliefs, which are widely rejected by mainstream Islamic scholars and the international community.

Reference:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, September 13). Boko Haram | History, Meaning, insurgency, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Boko-Haram

Justifying Jihad: A case study of Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram | Small Wars Journal. (n.d.). https://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/justifying-jihad-a-case-study-of-al-shabaab-and-boko-haram