INDIA
A little more than a year ago when Aasim Umar was introduced by Al Qaeda chief Ayman al Jawahiri in a video message as the head of the Qaeda's South Asia arm — Qaedat-al-Jihad (QaJ) — the Indian security agencies had little clue about him.
The video showed Umar exhorting Indian Muslims to participate in the "global jihad to give a final push to the collapsing edifice of America" and establish Ummah (Muslim nationhood) and rule of Sharia'ah (Muslim law).
Working meticulously to understand this new avatar of terror better, the Indian agencies describe Aasim Umar as a reclusive person, originally a Maulvi, who steadily rose from the ranks to become the leader of Qaedat-al-Jihad also known as Al Qaeda Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
Due to his typical style of speaking and the language Umar uses, the agencies checking out his antecedents are looking at his India connection. "The words used by Umar and the flow of his voice suggests he could be a native of Delhi, UP or he could be one from the Muhajir community in Pakistan," a source said.
Umar has closely worked with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) to recruit and train youth for terror operations in Jammu & Kashmir. Before being made the AQIS chief he indoctrinated and trained terrorists in PoK for nearly five years.
The central intelligence agencies' dossier on Umar says the teacher-turned-terrorist is considered to be a close aide of Fazl-ur Rehman Khalil, the self-styled chief commander of the HuM.
Umar, who is in his mid-40s, was introduced to Taliban leader Mulla Omar by Khalil. Umar had travelled to the Khost province in Afghanistan to meet Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his deputy Ayman al Zawahiri. A master of terror propaganda, Umar was later used by the Al Qaeda as a militant cleric to brainwash Muslim youths to wage Jihad in West Asia as well.
Khalil was responsible for hijacking Indian Airlines Flight, IC-814, in December 1999. Intelligence dossier claims Umar and Khalil had launched a front organisation 'Jamiat-ul-Ansar' (JuA) to disguise terror activities in Jammu & Kashmir when HuM got unmasked after the IC814 hijacking forcing Pakistan to act under international pressure. Later, Umar, who is fluent in Urdu, Arabic, English and Pashto, became close to Maulana Masood Azhar after he was released in the IC 814 hostage swap deal by India. By the time, Azhar had moved out of HuM and founded Jaish-e-Mohammed poaching not only preacher Umar but also several others.
Umar travelled often to Quetta to meet Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders. Umar, who once taught in a Karachi madrasa, was given the title of Sheikh and he was made chief of Al Qaeda Shariah Committee in Pakistan.
After the kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl, Umar is said to have completely distanced himself from HuM and its top leaders but continued indoctrination of new terror recruits in Karachi and in other terror camps operated by the JeM in PoK.
After the 2008 Mumbai terror attack, following American pressure, Umar went into hiding in the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA), which by then had become the sanctuary of Taliban terrorists. He reorganised Al Qaeda modules in Pakistan in a bid to launch operations there.
According to intelligence sources, Umar is actively involved in generating terror funds through donations from sympathisers in West Asia, using online forums. Umar's first operation targeting a Pakistan navy frigate in Karachi in early September resulted in complete failure as three terrorists were killed and four were captured.
Music composer Anu Malik sels two Mumbai flats in Santacruz West for Rs..., co-owner is...
Jeet Adani and Diva Shah are now married; video of varmala ceremony goes viral, WATCH
Jeet Adani-Diva Shah wedding: Gautam Adani shares first pics of son's wedding, see here
Subhash Ghai makes big investment, buys plush 4BHK apartment in Mumbai for...
Metovalex App Review 2025: Legit Or Scam Trading AI? - Real User Facts!
Deepinder Goyal's Zomato rebranded Eternal: Everyone has the same question
Thief gifts Rs 3cr house to girlfriend, everyone shocked after...
Who is Meghnad S? YouTuber and journalist who contested Delhi assembly polls 2025 from...
Does Sanya Malhotra's 'Mrs' promote a no-marriage culture among women?
BIG blow to Sundar Pichai as Google loses Rs 17501260000000 due to…
Caring for Ageing Parents? Essential tips to manage health, finances, and well-being
Meet Gautam Adani’s daughter-in-law Paridhi Adani: Know about her assets, career, family, and more
Jeet Adani-Diva Shah wedding: Inside pics from Gautam Adani's son's wedding festivity
Why has Premanand Maharaj stopped his morning yatras at 2 am?
Sonu Sood BREAKS SILENCE on arrest warrant against him in fraud case: 'It is sad that celebs...'
Akshata Murty once confronted her father and Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy: 'My real dad is...'
Meet Alexis Wilkins, Trump's FBI chief pick Kash Patel's 'mystery girlfriend,' her profession is...
Fire breaks out at Mahakumbh Nagar camp, officials say no casualties reported so far
Who is Mohini Mohan Datta, mystery man set to get Rs 500 crore through Ratan Tata's will?
Cristiano Ronaldo makes shocking statement, breaks Portugal's hearts: 'I never thought about...'
Ludhiana court issues arrest warrant against Sonu Sood in fraud case
Happy Rose Day 2025: Significance of different coloured roses on Day 1 of Valentine's week
Salman Khan REVEALS why he avoids eating beef and pork: 'Main maanta hu meri maa...'
Shah Rukh Khan-Saif Ali Khan vs Aryan Khan-Ibrahim Khan: Who should be in KHNH2!
Why Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu gifted Donald Trump golden pager? It is a reference to...
Mob in Bangladesh destroys ousted PM Sheikh Hasina's family home
ISRO's EOS-06 satellite captures Phytoplankton concentration on global scale
IND vs ENG: Will Virat Kohli play in 2nd ODI vs England? Shubman Gill provides huge injury update
Who is Kiran Chaudhury? PCS officer caught in bribe case, just 4 years after posting
Jeet Adani-Diva Shah's wedding today: Know venue, gifts for guests and more
Meet woman, who works in Rs 163000 crore company, daughter of Hyderabad’s richest man
This is world's greenest railway station, 170 years old, home to over 7,000 plants, it's in....
As Sky Force nears Rs 150 crore, Nimrat Kaur treats househelp, her kids with movie screening
IND vs ENG: Shreyas Iyer creates history, becomes first player to achieve THIS massive milestone
Meet man, India's richest banker, who has bought Rs 202 crore property, his net worth is Rs...
'Heard there was....': Former India head coach provides major update on Virat Kohli's injury
A New Geopolitical Era: India and Israel's Role in the Evolving Middle East
David Warner’s touching moment with fans after Dubai Capitals reaches final of DP World ILT20
India’s Largest Book Stall Network: PrashantAdvait Foundation’s Mission to Revive Reading Culture
Mawra Hocane stuns in pastel mint green lehenga at her wedding to Ameer Gilani
Deepinder Goyal's Zomato changes its name, CEO shares journey of company, it is now called...
Rose Day 2025: Know the date, history, significance of each rose colour ahead of Valentine's day
'BJP-led NDA works for Santushtikaran, not Tushtikaran': PM Modi in Rajya Sabha
Who is Belle Gibson? Australian wellness guru created fake cancer story and later...
DP World ILT20 2025: Dubai Capitals clinch last ball thriller against Desert Vipers to reach final
Jeet Adani-Diva Shah wedding: First pic from Gautam Adani's mansion OUT as wedding festivities begin
Sunita Williams’ Spacewalk: A Record-Breaking Mission and a Stunning Selfie from Space
IND vs ENG: Ravindra Jadeja creates history in Nagpur, surpasses James Anderson to become....