[NEWS] JAMAAT-E-ISLAMI PROMOTES TERRORISM & RADICALISM IN SOUTH ASIA: US
LAWMAKER
US Congressman Jim
Banks has expressed concerns over the growing influence of radical
Jamaat-e-Islami in South
Asia and stated that much of the violence in Kashmir is linked to
JeI related affiliates.
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Addressing a seminar hosted by the Middle East Forum last
week in USA in association with South Asia Minorities Alliance Foundation and
other influential think tanks, Banks said, "Jamaat-e-Islami is especially
operating in South Asia with its violent factions found in Pakistan and
Bangladesh. It is a violent, theocratic group that has committed violent acts
against minority Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, and Ahmadis."
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Banks stressed that there is a lack of awareness and action by the US against
the activities of the JeI. It may be pointed out that JeI leaders in Bangladesh
were opposed to independence movement in 1971 and were part of Pakistan Army’s
crackdown against innocent civilians in erstwhile East Pakistan. JeI affiliated
al-Badr and al-Shams, actively participated along with Pakistani military in
the massacre of nearly three million Bengalis.
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"Through violent
actions, JeI seek to silence the voices of others and discourage participation
in democracy. Much of the violence in Kashmir is linked to the organizations
related to Jamaat-e-Islami and its terrorist partners," he added.
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The US lawmaker further said that the JeI continues to grow its influence in
South Asia, and today has been operating on a large scale with multiple
international partners. Referring to the activities of the Islamic Circle of
North America (ICNA), the US lawmaker from Indiana said that organisation is a
partner group of Jamaat-e-Islami within the US.
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"We must prevent the spread of this threat before it starts impacting
Americans at home. I introduced HR-160 resolution earlier this year, and this
bipartisan resolution calls on USAID and State Department to refrain from any
partnership with organizations affiliated with radical Islamist groups,"
Banks said.
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In his address, South Asia Minority Alliance Chairman (SAMAC) Nadeem Nusrat
described the striking similarities between the religious ideologies of
Ikhuan-ul-Muslimoon (Muslim
Brotherhood) and Jamat-e-Islami. He said that both outfits emerged soon
after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1924 during the British control of
India and Egypt.
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Nusrat explained how both outfits adopted a similar message and strategy to
extend their global reach. Nusrat, who also heads Washington DC-based Voice of
Karachi, elaborated on the ideology, working, and the reach of the JeI. He said
that no other religious group did more to radicalise Pakistan religiously than
the JeI.
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Nusrat further said that soon after the imposition of Martial Law in Pakistan
in July 1977, Jamaat-e-Islami
Pakistan found a reliable partner in General Zia-ul-Haq. Using the
Afghan war in the late 1970s and the early 1980s as a perfect opportunity to
achieve their respective objectives, they both not only religiously radicalized
Pakistani military but also turned the country into a theocratic state which
forged strong alliances with jihadists worldwide.
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He asserted that it is hard to overstate the role of JeI in exporting terrorism and
sustaining global jihad. For instance several terrorists linked to the 9/11
terrorist attacks in the USA were arrested from the homes of JeI leaders in
Pakistan, Nusrat claimed.
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He said that their thoughtless, intolerant, and anachronistic ideologies have
led to the killing of hundreds of thousands of Muslims and non-Muslims and
displaced millions besides making Islam synonymous with terrorism and
intolerance.
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While combating terrorism indeed requires a collective global effort, the main
challenge to this menace should come from within. It is the foremost
responsibility of every secular, moderate, and enlightened Muslim to stand up
to these extremist forces and protect religious minorities in their countries
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In her address, Abha Shankar of the Washington DC-based Investigative Project
on Terrorism presented the findings of her organization's extensive research
about the close links between Jamat-e-Islami and the Islamic Circle of North
America (ICNA).
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South Asia expert Seth Oldmixon also highlighted the role of JI in promoting
and exporting religious extremism and terrorism on a global scale and warned of
the dangers of ignoring the activities of JeI and its affiliates in North
America.
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Washington DC, Director of Middle East
Forum Sam Westrop highlighted the practices employed by JeI affiliates in
Europe in promoting religious extremism among Muslim diaspora. He pointed out
that European states failed to timely assess the scale of dangers posed by
these groups to their societies and are now paying the price. Repeating the
same mistake in North America would bring the same results with the same
devastating consequences, he warned.
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Source: m.economictimes.com- 19 November
2019
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IKUTI KAMI 👇
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"United Against Extremism!"
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