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Army of Islam (Gaza)

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"Jaish al-Islam" redirects here. For the Syrian rebel coalition, see Jaysh al-Islam.

Army of Islam
جَيش الإسلام
Jaysh al-Islām
LeaderMumtaz Dughmush
Dates of operation2005–present
AllegianceIslamic State Islamic State (Wilayat Sinai)
MotivesThe creation of an Islamic state in Palestine, and the restoration of the caliphate[1]
Active regionsGaza Strip, Egypt, Syria
IdeologySalafism
Jihadism
Sunni Islamism
Allies Ansar Bait al-Maqdis
Tawhid al-Jihad
Opponents Israel
 Hamas

Army of Islam (Arabic: جَيش الإسلام Jaysh al-Islām), officially The Army of Islam Group in Jerusalem (Jama'at Jaysh al-Islam fi Bayt al-Maqdis), is a Salafi Jihadist militant organization in the Gaza Strip.[1] It was founded by the Doghmush clan in 2006,[2] and is based in the Tzabra neighborhood in the center of the Gaza Strip. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the UAE.[3]

History

The Army of Islam was founded in late 2005.[3] The Army of Islam split from Hamas due to the members agreeing with Al-Qaeda's ideology which goes against Hamas'.[4] The Army of Islam never fully gained the support of Al-Qaeda nor did it get any praise during its early years in activities, though the Army of Islam became allies with Tawhid al-Jihad and, later, Ansar Bait al-Maqdis which led to the organization pledging bay'ah to the Islamic State and its leader at the time, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.[5]

An Israeli helicopter strike killed Army of Islam senior leader Mohammed Jamil al-Nemnem, 27, in Gaza City on 3 November 2010. Nemnem was second-in-command to Mumtaz Doghmush.[6][7] Egypt had reportedly tipped-off Israel that Nemnem was helping plan an attack on the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula.[8] In a subsequent statement, Israel claimed Nemnem was involved in directiong multiple terrorist attacks targeting Israelis in recent years.[9]

Following the Nemnem strike, the Israeli Air Force killed group members Mohammed and Islam Yassif in a drone strike on 17 November 2010.[10] The strike was coordinated with Israeli Shin Bet and occurred around dawn on a busy street in Gaza City, and cited the same security issues as that in the killing of Namnam.[11]

In 2015, the group had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and joined as a part of the Islamic State – Sinai Province.[12]

By 2018, the group faced increasing repression by Hamas which was unwilling to tolerate its extremist activities. In turn, the group considers Hamas an apostate organization, and has called upon Muslims to carry out lone wolf attacks against Israel.[1]

Ideology

According to the U.S. government, the group is Salafist and combines a global jihad ideology with Palestinian armed resistance. As of 2011, the group was attempting to deepen its contact with al-Qaida. After the death of Osama bin Laden, Army of Islam's Al Nur Media Foundation released a eulogy.[3]

The group appears to draw inspiration from, or is linked to, al-Qaeda, and has conducted at least one bombing of a Palestinian civilian target (an empty school[13]) and a number of other kidnappings. The group was originally closely related to Hamas, but its extremist stances eventually alienated both Hamas and Fatah. The group has also been known as The Organization of jihad in Palestine and is linked to Abu Qatada, the British-based Palestinian-Jordanian extremist Sheikh who they demanded be released in exchange for Johnston.[14]

Activities

The group has been responsible for a number of attacks in Israel and Egypt and Western citizens, including the kidnappings of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and two Fox News journalists in 2006 and British journalist Alan Johnston in 2007.[13][3][9]

In 2011, the group told the French security services that they had planned an attack on the Bataclan theatre because its owners were Jewish.[15][16][17][18]

A limited number of fighters belonging to the group travelled to Syria from 2012 to fight in the Syrian Civil War; several of these volunteers were killed in combat.[1] In 2016, the Army of Islam released a eulogy for the Islamic State's commander Abu Omar al-Shishani after he was killed in fighting in al-Shirqat, Iraq.[19] Nevertheless, the group has not openly admitted any links to ISIL.[1]

Kidnapping of Alan Johnston

Main article: Kidnapping of Alan Johnston

In March 2007 the group kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston.[2][20] On 25 June 2007 the group released a video showing Johnston with an explosive belt around his waist,[citation needed] with a demand for the release of Muslim prisoners in British custody. The group also kidnapped ten members of Hamas and claimed they would kill Johnston if there were been an attempt to rescue him. On 4 July 2007, after Gaza authorities arrested several members of the group including spokesman Abu Muthana,[21] and following threats of execution, Johnston was handed over to Hamas officials and released after 114 days in captivity.[22]

Alexandria bombing

The group has been linked with the 2011 bombing of a Coptic church in Alexandria that resulted in 23 deaths. Egypt's Interior Minister said on 23 January that evidence proved that the group planned and executed the attack. The group quickly denied responsibility, while also reportedly expressing support for the bombing.[23]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (25 January 2019). "Jaysh al-Islam in Gaza: Exclusive Interview". Archived from the original on 14 February 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  2. ^ a b Bechor, Guy (6 July 2007). "The Gears" (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 21 July 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d "Designation of Army of Islam". State Department. 19 May 2011. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Army of Islam (Jaysh al-Islam)". Director of National Intelligence. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  5. ^ Porter, Geoff (19 March 2015). "The Province of Sinai: Why Bother with Palestine if You Can Be Part of the "Islamic State"?". Combating Terrorism Center. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Gaza blast kills leading militant". Sydney Morning Herald. AFP. 4 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  7. ^ "ISRAEL, GAZA: Security forces target Army of Islam operatives, again". Los Angeles Times. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 21 November 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  8. ^ Vick, Karl (10 November 2010). "Behind An Israeli Strike In Gaza, Help From Egypt". Time.
  9. ^ a b "One killed in Gaza car explosion". Al Jazeera. 3 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Two Brothers, Members Of the Army of Islam, Killed By Army Airstrike In Gaza". International Middle East Media Center. 28 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Brothers killed in airstrike on central Gaza City". Maan News Agency. 17 November 2010. Archived from the original on 19 August 2016.
  12. ^ "Powerful militant group in Gaza allegedly pledges allegiance to ISIS". The Jerusalem Post. 11 September 2015. ISSN 0792-822X. OCLC 15700704. Retrieved 18 December 2024.
  13. ^ a b Kershner, Isabel (21 April 2007). "Bombing at U.S.-backed school in Gaza". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 27 June 2007.
  14. ^ "The Army of Islam, a radical Islamic Palestinian terrorist group in the Gaza Strip". Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center (IICC). 20 May 2007. Archived from the original on 23 November 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  15. ^ Greenhouse, Emily (15 November 2015). "Life and Death on the Boulevard Voltaire". The New Republic. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Pourquoi le Bataclan est-il régulièrement visé?". Le Point (in French). 14 November 2015. Archived from the original on 14 November 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  17. ^ "French mag: Bataclan an Islamist target due to Jewish owners". The Times of Israel. 14 November 2015. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Fransk magasin: Bataclan har jødiske eiere". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). 14 November 2015. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  19. ^ عزاء و رثاء: عمر الشيشاني (PDF) (in Arabic). The Army of Islam. 13 July 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  20. ^ "BBC's Johnston shown in tape wearing explosives". Yahoo! News. Reuters. 24 June 2007. Archived from the original on 26 June 2007.
  21. ^ Barzak, Ibrahim (2 July 2007). "Hamas makes arrest in reporter's case". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 5 July 2007.
  22. ^ "BBC's Alan Johnston is released". BBC News. 4 July 2007. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 4 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Egypt blames Gaza group for bombing". Al Jazeera. 23 January 2011. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
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