Army of Islam (Gaza)

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]

"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
MotivesThe creation of an Islamic state in Palestine, and the restoration of the caliphate[1]
Active regionsGaza Strip, Egypt, Syria
IdeologySalafism
Jihadism
Sunni Islamism
Opponents Israel
Hamas

History

The Army of Islam was founded in late 2005.[4]

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.[5][6] Egypt had reportedly tipped-off Israel that Nemnem was helping plan an attack on the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai Peninsula.[7] In a subsequent statement, Israel claimed Nemnem was involved in directiong multiple terrorist attacks targeting Israelis in recent years.[8]

Following the Nemnem strike, the Israeli Air Force killed group members Mohammed and Islam Yassif in a drone strike on 17 November 2010.[9] 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.[10]

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.[4]

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[11]) 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.[12]

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 in 2006 and British journalist Alan Johnston in 2007.[11][4][8]

Kidnapping of Alan Johnston
Main article: Kidnapping of Alan Johnston

In March 2007 the group kidnapped BBC correspondent Alan Johnston.[2][13] On 25 June 2007 the group released a video showing Johnston with an explosive belt around his waist, 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,[14] and following threats of execution, Johnston was handed over to Hamas officials and released after 114 days in captivity.[15]

In 2011, the group told the French security services that they had planned an attack on the Bataclan theatre because its owners were Jewish.[16][17][18][19]

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.[20] Nevertheless, the group has not openly admitted any links to ISIL.[1]

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.[21]

See also

References
  1. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (25 January 2019). "Jaysh al-Islam in Gaza: Exclusive Interview". Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  2. 'The Gears' by Dr. Guy Bechor (in Hebrew)
  3. "Designation of Army of Islam". 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  4. "Designation of Army of Islam". State Department. 19 May 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  5. "Gaza blast kills leading militant". Sydney Morning Herald. AFP. 4 November 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  6. "ISRAEL, GAZA: Security forces target Army of Islam operatives, again | Babylon & Beyond". Los Angeles Times. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  7. Vick, Karl, "Behind An Israeli Strike In Gaza, Help From Egypt," Time, 10 November 2010.
  8. "One killed in Gaza car explosion". Al Jazeera. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  9. "Two Brothers, Members Of the Army of Islam, Killed By Army Airstrike In Gaza". International Middle East Media Center. Archived from the original on 26 November 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  10. "Brothers killed in airstrike on central Gaza City". Maan News Agency.
  11. "Bombing at U.S.-backed school in Gaza". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on 27 June 2007.
  12. "The Army of Islam, a radical Islamic Palestinian terrorist group in the Gaza Strip". Terrorism-info.org.il. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  13. "BBC's Johnston shown in tape wearing explosives". Yahoo! News. Reuters. Archived from the original on 26 June 2007.
  14. Ibrahim Barzak. "Hamas makes arrest in reporter's case". Yahoo! News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 5 July 2007.
  15. "BBC's Alan Johnston is released". BBC News. 4 July 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  16. Greenhouse, Emily (15 November 2015). "Life and Death on the Boulevard Voltaire". The New Republic. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  17. "Pourquoi le Bataclan est-il régulièrement visé?". Le Point. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  18. "French mag: Bataclan an Islamist target due to Jewish owners". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  19. "Fransk magasin: Bataclan har jødiske eiere". Aftenposten. Retrieved 14 November 2015.
  20. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  21. "Egypt blames Gaza group for bombing". Al Jazeera. 23 January 2011. Retrieved 26 January 2011.
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