Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah (organisation)
Encyclopedia
For the Islamic Muslim Arabic term see Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah
Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah is an Islamic organisation operating in the United Kingdom
, intended to be a successor to the banned Al-Muhajiroun
organisation. Founded in November 2005 in north London, its head is "Simon" Sulayman Keeler
. Also attending the organization's launch were Anjem Choudary
, the former head of al-Muhajiroun, Abu Yahya, Abu Izzadeen
and Abu Uzair
. The group claims up to 1000 members, many of them members of the now-banned groups Al Ghurabaa
and the The Saved Sect
.
ASWJ operates mainly through an invitation-only Internet forum set up in 2006 by Mizanur Rahman called "Followers of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'aah Muntada", of which Anjem Choudary is a prominent contributor, under the screen name "Abou Luqman". The forum currently has 700 members. A reporter visiting the site found calls for holy war, and recordings of Osama Bin Laden
, Ayman al-Zawahiri
, and, notably, Omar Bakri Mohammed, the founder of al-Muhajiroun.
In February 2006 ASWJ helped organize the Islamist demonstration outside Danish Embassy in London in 2006
.
In November 2006 the BBC
programmes File on 4
and Newsnight
, in an investigation into the radicalisation of young British Muslims reported that Omar Bakri is regularly broadcasting hate messages against the UK government and non-Muslim people via the internet, using a range of pseudonyms. His voice was reportedly confirmed by speech analysis experts to be that of Bakri. The BBC penetrated the broadcasts using undercover investigators from the group Vigil.
In December 2006, ASWJ issued a call on one of its websites for Muslims to fight the Ethiopian attack
against the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia
in whatever way possible, "financially, physically and verbally". This call was reiterated by Anjem Choudary in early January 2007.
In March 2009 members of the group took part in a protest in Luton
against British troops returning from Afghanistan.
Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah
Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah, Ahle Sunnat Wal Jama'at and other variants may refer to:* Sunni Islam, the majority sect of Islam* Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah , an Islamic organisation operating in the United Kingdom...
Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah is an Islamic organisation operating in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, intended to be a successor to the banned Al-Muhajiroun
Al-Muhajiroun
Al-Muhajiroun is a banned Islamist organisation that was based in Britain and which has been linked to international terrorism, homophobia and anti-semitism...
organisation. Founded in November 2005 in north London, its head is "Simon" Sulayman Keeler
Sulayman Keeler
Sulayman Keeler is the leader of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah, a British Islamist organization. He is a former member of Al-Muhajiroun, a designated and banned terrorist organization, and led the Society of Converts to Islam....
. Also attending the organization's launch were Anjem Choudary
Anjem Choudary
Anjem Choudary is a British former solicitor, and, before it was proscribed, spokesman for the Islamist group Islam4UK. He is married, has four children, and lives in Ilford, London....
, the former head of al-Muhajiroun, Abu Yahya, Abu Izzadeen
Abu Izzadeen
Abu Izzadeen , born Trevor Brooks , is a British spokesman for Al Ghurabaa, a Muslim organization banned under the Terrorism Act 2006 for the glorification of terrorism, that operated in the United Kingdom....
and Abu Uzair
Abu Uzair
Abu Uzair is a Muslim teacher and Islamist activist in The United Kingdom. He served as the leader of the The Saved Sect, an organisation the British government has designated and banned as terrorist, and a leading member of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaah...
. The group claims up to 1000 members, many of them members of the now-banned groups Al Ghurabaa
Al Ghurabaa
Al Ghurabaa is a Muslim organization which, along with the The Saviour Sect, is widely believed to be the reformed Al-Muhajiroun after it disbanded in 2004 by order of Omar Bakri Muhammad. Other members include Abu Izzadeen and Abu Uzair....
and the The Saved Sect
The Saved Sect
The Saved Sect , formerly and more generally known as The Saviour Sect, is a Muslim organization that operated in the United Kingdom from its formation in November 2005 until the British government proscribed it on 17 July 2006...
.
ASWJ operates mainly through an invitation-only Internet forum set up in 2006 by Mizanur Rahman called "Followers of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'aah Muntada", of which Anjem Choudary is a prominent contributor, under the screen name "Abou Luqman". The forum currently has 700 members. A reporter visiting the site found calls for holy war, and recordings of Osama Bin Laden
Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
, Ayman al-Zawahiri
Ayman al-Zawahiri
Ayman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian physician, Islamic theologian and current leader of al-Qaeda. He was previously the second and last "emir" of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, having succeeded Abbud al-Zumar in the latter role when Egyptian authorities sentenced al-Zumar to life...
, and, notably, Omar Bakri Mohammed, the founder of al-Muhajiroun.
In February 2006 ASWJ helped organize the Islamist demonstration outside Danish Embassy in London in 2006
Islamist demonstration outside Danish Embassy in London in 2006
The 2006 Islamist demonstration outside the Embassy of Denmark in London took place on 3 February 2006, in response to controversy surrounding the publication of editorial cartoons depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten on 30 September 2005...
.
In November 2006 the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
programmes File on 4
File on 4
File on 4 is a current-affairs radio programme broadcast on BBC Radio 4. It is produced in Manchester by the BBC's Radio Current Affairs department, and has won more than 40 awards.- External links :* *...
and Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
, in an investigation into the radicalisation of young British Muslims reported that Omar Bakri is regularly broadcasting hate messages against the UK government and non-Muslim people via the internet, using a range of pseudonyms. His voice was reportedly confirmed by speech analysis experts to be that of Bakri. The BBC penetrated the broadcasts using undercover investigators from the group Vigil.
In December 2006, ASWJ issued a call on one of its websites for Muslims to fight the Ethiopian attack
War in Somalia (2006–present)
The War in Somalia was an armed conflict involving largely Ethiopian and Somali Transitional Federal Government forces and Somali troops from Puntland versus the Somali Islamist umbrella group, the Islamic Court Union , and other affiliated militias for control of the country. There is a clear...
against the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in whatever way possible, "financially, physically and verbally". This call was reiterated by Anjem Choudary in early January 2007.
In March 2009 members of the group took part in a protest in Luton
Luton
Luton is a large town and unitary authority of Bedfordshire, England, 30 miles north of London. Luton and its near neighbours, Dunstable and Houghton Regis, form the Luton/Dunstable Urban Area with a population of about 250,000....
against British troops returning from Afghanistan.