Darsgah-Jihad-O-Shahadat Explained

Darsgah-Jihad-O-Shahadat (literally The Centre for Jihad and Martyrdom) is an Islamist group based in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad, with branches in the state of Kerala.^[1] The group claims to have trained about 50,000 people in self-defence techniques at its training camps in Hazrat Ujale Shah Idgah grounds at Saidabad and Purani Haveli.^{[2] [3]}

The training camps were closed in 2013 after the death of Shaik Mahboob Ali and restarted in 2017.^[4] Some of the former members of this group are accused of joining al-Qaeda and its affiliates and of involvement in multiple terror attacks across India.

History

Founded on 4 December 1983 by Shaikh Mahboob Ali (d. 2011), the incumbent president of the group is Mohammed Abdul Majid. DJS is known to organise a rally on the anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition on 6 December and the weekly Ijtema (religious preaching sessions) every Saturday at its headquarter in Moghalpura.^[5]

The group is described as an Islamist vigilante group and claims on its website of "protecting the life and properties of [the] Muslim community," "preserving the honour and chastity of women," and "Islamic supremacy is our goal."^[6]

On 10 November 2012, police arrested eleven DJS activists including Majid for violence in Old City area of Hyderabad in connection with incidents of stone pelting and assault of policemen.^[7]

On 14 May 2017 Mohammed Abdul Majid was booked by the police for making provocative speeches during a martial arts training camp for Muslim youths.

Former members

• Syed Maqbool - former member of DJS is accused of being part of the Indian Mujahideen's Hyderabad module involved in the Dilsukhnagar bomb blasts of 21 February 2013 in which 17 people died.^[8] Indian Mujahideen is a front of the banned SIMI.^[9]
• Syed Zakir Raheem - former member of DJS and accused of being member of Jaish-e-Mohammed group and involvement in the failed assassination of BJP politicians Indrasena Reddy and Baddam Bal Reddy in 2004.^[10]
• Mohammed Abdul Shahed also known as Shahed Bilal and Mohammed Abdul Shahid Bilal^[11] (d. 30 August 2007)^[12] - Lashkar-e-Taiba's south India chief and former chief of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami’s Indian operations,^[13] both al-Qaeda affiliates. Bilal and his associates were accused in the Mecca Masjid bomb blast of 2007, Lumbini Amusement Park and Gokul Chat Bhandar bombings of 2007 and the 2005 Begumpet suicide bombing at the STF headquarters. He was one of the accused in the smuggling of RDX into Hyderabad to create communal disturbances.^[14] Reportedly killed by masked assassins of Rasool Khan Parti^[15] in the port city of Karachi in Pakistan^[16] but some suspect this to be a ruse to evade capture.
• Mohammad Abdul Razzak - accused of being member of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and then Lashkar-e-Taiba and fighting as a volunteer with Al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Afghanistan. During interrogation Razzak reportedly confessed to have accompanied a supply convoy meant for a Taliban unit in Spin Boldak, and training at a Taliban-run camp near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. Tasked to recruit Indian nationals in the UAE for Lashkar-e-Taiba he is said to have recruited Javed Sheikh^[17] and sent him to jihad training camps run by the Lashkar military chief Muzammil Bhat — architect of the 26/11 Mumbai attack.^[18] Javed Sheikh was one of the person killed in a February 2004 encounter with Gujarat Police. Razzak was a staff member of top Lashkar financier Arif Qasmani who is accused of bombing the New Delhi-Lahore Samjhauta Express in 2007 and was subsequently sanctioned by the United States Treasury Department.^[19]
• Mohammed Viquar Ahmed also known as Vikaruddin Ahmed - founder of Tehreek-Ghalba-e-Islam,^[20] had his initial training with DJS. He was accused of killing two policemen, one in Hyderabad in 2009, and another in Maninagar in Gujarat. He was arrested in 2010 and shot dead in 2015 along with four of his associates in the Alair encounter.^[21]
• Ghulam Yazdani - owed his allegiance to DJS and was a member of Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami and was the leader of the Lashkar-e-Taiba's south Indian network.^[22] He was one of the main accused in the killing of former home minister of Gujarat Haren Pandya, was suspected to be involved in the 2005 Begumpet suicide bombing at the STF headquarters and the 21 November 2002 bombing near Saibaba temple in Dilsukhnagar in which ten people were injured when a powerful bomb planted in a scooter exploded.^{[23] [24]} He was accused in the conspiracy to bomb a Ganesh temple near Secunderabad railway station. Yazdani was arrested and imprisoned twice in 2000-01. He escaped while out on bail and was a fugitive. On 8 March 2006 he was shot dead in the Bawana encounter with Delhi police.^[25]
• Mohammad Abdul Samad - Jeddah^[26] based brother of Mohammed Abdul Shahed accused of recruiting people for attacks, reported killed in 30 August 2007 along with his brother,^[27] although his death is disputed by other members of his group.

See also

• Deendar Anjuman

Notes and References

1. Web site: George Iype reports on the ISI operations in South India . Rediff.com . 2018-01-29.
2. Web site: Post blasts, spotlight on Darsgah-e-Jihad-o-Shahadat | Hyderabad News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2013-02-24 . 2018-01-29.
3. Web site: Indrasena plotters were ex-members: DJS | Hyderabad News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2004-01-21 . 2018-01-29.
4. Web site: Hyderabad: DJS President booked for provocative speech | The Siasat Daily . Archive.siasat.com . 2017-05-14 . 2018-01-29.
5. Web site: Why terror tag on Saidabad | Hyderabad News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2018-01-29.
6. Web site: Behind the Mecca Masjid bombing - OPINION . . 2018-01-29.
7. Web site: 11 Darsgah-Jihad-O-Shahadat activists arrested | Hyderabad News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2012-11-10 . 2018-01-29.
8. Web site: Dilsukhnagar: Hyderabad youth helped IM in Dilsukhnagar blasts: NIA | Hyderabad News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2018-01-29.
9. Web site: Indian Mujahideen declared a terrorist organisation . Ndtv.com . 2018-01-29.
10. Web site: Hyderabad: Man in BJP leader murder plan held . Deccanchronicle.com . 2018-01-29.
11. Web site: Shahed's father believes he's alive | Hyderabad News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2011-05-21 . 2018-01-29.
12. Web site: Terrorist Shahid Bilal dead: IB . Rediff.com . 2018-01-29.
13. Web site: Mecca Masjid blast mastermind dead . Hindustan Times . 2018-01-29.
14. Web site: Hyderabad Police Charge Shahid Bilal, 14 Others for Smuggling RDX. 2 September 2007. Arabnews.com. 29 January 2018.
15. Web site: Why terror mastermind Shahid Bilal was killed . Rediff.com . 2018-01-29.
16. Web site: Key HuJI operative held in Hyderabad | India News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2018-01-29.
17. Web site: Eyewitness told of making of Al-Qaeda-Lashkar alliance - Today's Paper . . 2018-01-29.
18. Web site: Javed Sheikh’s journey to death . The Hindu . 2018-01-29.
19. Web site: Treasury Targets Al Qaida and Lashkar-E Tayyiba Networks in Pakistan . Treasury.gov . 2017-02-13 . 2018-01-29.
20. Web site: Zakir admits to providing shelter to Viquar | Hyderabad News - Times of India . Timesofindia.indiatimes.com . 2018-01-29.
21. Web site: 5 Suspected Terrorists Killed in Encounter in Telangana . Ndtv.com . 2015-04-08 . 2018-01-29.
22. Web site: The story of LeT's south India chief - Rediff.com India News . Rediff.com . 2006-03-16 . 2018-01-29.
23. Web site: Past incidents of bomb blast in Hyderabad . Dnaindia.com . 2018-01-29.
24. Web site: Two Lashkar men planned more blasts . https://web.archive.org/web/20030119033823/http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/2002/11/24/stories/2002112405500600.htm . dead . 2003-01-19 . 2002-11-24 . . 2018-01-29.
25. Web site: LeT ultra involved in Varanasi blasts killed in encounter . Dnaindia.com . 2006-03-08 . 2018-01-29.
26. Web site: Motorcycle thief could help expose HuJI network . Rediff.com . 2018-01-29.
27. Web site: Inside Abdul Khwaja’s failed war against India . The Hindu . 2018-01-29.