Database: Identifiers of Designated Islamic Terrorist Organizations

Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami

Designated as terrorist by: United Kingdom, United Nations, United States

Base of operations: Pakistan, Bangladesh

Background: Mapping Militant Organizations (Stanford)
Background: South Asia Terrorism Portal

Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI; "Movement of Islamic Holy War") is a militant group whose goal is to bring Jammu and Kashmir under Pakistani rule and ultimately turn Pakistan and India into Islamic states. One of the first jihadist organizations established to battle Soviet forces in Afghanistan, HuJI was originally called Jamiat Ansarul Afghaneen but changed its name as that conflict came to an end. It united with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, a onetime HuJI faction, to form Harkat-ul-Ansar, only to reemerge as an independent entity later on. HuJI has operational ties with both the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Osama bin Laden was instrumental in the launch of HuJI's affiliate in Bangladesh (HuJI-B). Its motto: "We will all become Taliban and we will turn Bangladesh into Afghanistan." HuJI-B has been the more active branch in recent years, conducting terrorist attacks in India and assassinating Bangladeshi intellectuals. HuJI has been known to recruit in Western countries and target Western interests in South Asia. Notably, it carried out the suicide bombing of the U.S. consulate in Karachi that killed American diplomat David Foy in 2006.

Harkat-ul-Ansar Flag