Jamaat ul-Fuqra (JF), a
terrorist outfit operating in Pakistan and North America was formed by a
Pakistani cleric, Sheikh Mubarak Ali Gilani in the early 1980s. Mubarak
Gilani's endeavour in forming the outfit was to 'purify' Islam through
violence. JF in its early phase sought to counter what is perceived as
excessive Western influence on Islam It also concluded that violence was a
significant aspect in its quest to purify Islam. JF is loosely structured,
with certain elements working openly through social service organisations
to recruit members, raise money, organise activities and distribute
propaganda.
In its ideological
moorings, the Fuqra regards as enemies of Islam all those who do not
follow the tenets of Islam as laid out in the Koran including Muslims they
consider as heretics and also non-Muslims. In the 1980s, they carried out
various terrorist activities including assassinations and fire-bombings
across the United States.
Although Gilani, the chief
of Fuqra resides in Pakistan, most of its cells are located in North
America. Fuqra members have purchased isolated rural properties in North
America to live communally, practice their faith, and insulate themselves
from Western culture. A large segment of its members have been convicted
of criminal acts, including murder and fraud. With the US State Department
outlawing Fuqra and listing it as one of the banned groups in its annual
reports, the activities of Fuqra have decreased relatively. The Jamaat
Ul-Fuqra supports various terrorist outfits operating in Pakistan and
Kashmir. Although dormant in terms of real activity, it has an active link
with the terrorist groups in Pakistan and provides both moral and material
assistance to these groups.
