Al-Qaeda – IFC Jihadist Movements Library Back to Jihadist Movements Library Jihadist Organisation  ·  Founded 1988 Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda — “The Base” — is the jihadist network founded by Osama bin Laden that changed the course of modern history by carrying out the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, killing nearly 3,000 people. Though bin Laden was killed in 2011, Al-Qaeda endures as a decentralised global network of affiliates operating across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and Southeast Asia — continuing to plan attacks, radicalise populations, and destabilise states. Jihadist Salafi-Jihadism North Africa Horn of Africa Sahel Arabia September 11 Founded 1988 Peshawar, Pakistan, by Osama bin Laden 9/11 Deaths 2,977 Deadliest terrorist attack in history Active Affiliates 6 Major AQIM, AQAP, Al-Shabaab, JNIM, AQ-Syria, AQ-India Current Leader Saif al-Adel Based in Iran; succeeded al-Zawahiri (killed 2022) Origins History & Founding Al-Qaeda was formally established in 1988 in Peshawar, Pakistan, by Osama bin Laden — the Saudi-born son of a billionaire construction magnate — and his associate Abdullah Azzam, during the final stages of the Soviet-Afghan War. Bin Laden had arrived in Afghanistan in 1980 to support the mujahideen resistance against Soviet occupation, using his personal wealth and family connections to fund fighters and infrastructure. Following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, bin Laden returned to Saudi Arabia — only to be radicalised further by the 1990 stationing of US troops on Saudi soil ahead of the Gulf War. He considered the presence of non-Muslim military forces on the Arabian Peninsula — home to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest sites — an intolerable religious desecration. Expelled from Saudi Arabia in 1991, he relocated to Sudan and then Afghanistan, where the Taliban provided him sanctuary from 1996 onward. In August 1996, bin Laden issued his first formal declaration of war against the United States, and in February 1998 published a fatwa — signed jointly with Ayman al-Zawahiri — declaring it a religious duty for Muslims to kill Americans and their allies, civilian and military, anywhere in the world. “The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies — civilians and military — is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it.” Osama bin Laden & Ayman al-Zawahiri, fatwa, February 1998 The 1998 East Africa embassy bombings — simultaneous truck bomb attacks on US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam killing 224 people — announced Al-Qaeda’s arrival as a global terrorist threat. Then came September 11, 2001. The attacks — carried out by 19 Al-Qaeda operatives — killed 2,977 people and triggered the US-led invasion of Afghanistan. Bin Laden was ultimately killed by US Navy SEALs on 2 May 2011 in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Key Events Timeline 1988Al-Qaeda formally established in Peshawar by Osama bin Laden and Abdullah Azzam at the end of the Soviet-Afghan War. 1996Bin Laden issues his first declaration of war against the United States from Afghanistan, where the Taliban provides safe haven. 1998Simultaneous bombings of US embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam kill 224. Bin Laden and al-Zawahiri issue fatwa declaring killing Americans a religious duty. 2000USS Cole bombed in Aden harbour, Yemen. 17 US sailors killed. 11 September 2001Al-Qaeda operatives hijack four US airliners. World Trade Centre destroyed, Pentagon struck. 2,977 killed — the deadliest terrorist attack in history. US invades Afghanistan within weeks. 2003–2010Al-Qaeda in Iraq emerges under Zarqawi. Madrid bombings (2004, 191 killed), London 7/7 bombings (2005, 52 killed). Al-Qaeda decentralises into regional affiliates. 2 May 2011Osama bin Laden killed by US Navy SEALs at compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. 2011–2022Ayman al-Zawahiri leads Al-Qaeda. Affiliates — AQIM, AQAP, Al-Shabaab, JNIM — expand across Africa and the Middle East. Al-Zawahiri killed by US drone strike in Kabul, July 2022. 2022–PresentSaif al-Adel assumed to lead from Iran. JNIM and Al-Shabaab remain the most active jihadist forces across the Sahel and Horn of Africa. Doctrine Ideology & Strategy Al-Qaeda’s ideology is rooted in Salafi-jihadism — a fusion of the Salafi movement’s literalist interpretation of Islam with the concept of armed jihad as a personal religious obligation. Its intellectual foundations draw directly from Sayyid Qutb’s Muslim Brotherhood writings, particularly the concept that contemporary Muslim societies have fallen into a state of pre-Islamic ignorance (jahiliyyah) and must be violently purified. Al-Qaeda’s strategic doctrine targets the “far enemy” — the United States and its Western allies — on the theory that destroying Western support for Middle Eastern governments will cause those governments to collapse, enabling Islamic states to be established in their place. This distinguishes Al-Qaeda from groups like ISIS, which focused primarily on immediate territorial conquest. “We have the right to kill four million Americans — two million of them children — and to exile twice as many and wound and cripple hundreds of thousands.” Suleiman Abu Ghaith, Al-Qaeda spokesman, 2002 — cited in US federal court proceedings Unlike ISIS’s apocalyptic urgency, Al-Qaeda has historically taken a longer strategic view — prioritising the gradual weakening of Western will over immediate territorial gains. This patient, decentralised approach has proved remarkably resilient: despite losing its Afghan sanctuary, its founder, and most of its senior leadership to drone strikes, Al-Qaeda’s affiliate network has expanded its territorial footprint significantly since 2011. Global Network Affiliates & Regional Commands Al-Qaeda operates through a franchise model of formally affiliated regional organisations, each with significant operational autonomy while maintaining ideological alignment with the core organisation. AQIM North Africa / Sahel Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Operates across Algeria, Mali, Niger, and Libya. Parent organisation of JNIM, the dominant jihadist force across the Sahel. AQAP Yemen / Arabian Peninsula Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Considered the most operationally dangerous AQ affiliate. Responsible for multiple near-miss attacks on US aviation, including the 2009 underwear bomber. Al-Shabaab Somalia / East Africa Formally affiliated with Al-Qaeda since 2012. Controls large areas of rural Somalia and carries out major attacks in Kenya and Ethiopia. JNIM Mali / Burkina Faso / Niger Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin. The dominant

Hamas – IFC Jihadist Movements Library Back to Jihadist Movements Library Jihadist Organisation  ·  Founded 1987 Hamas Hamas — the Islamic Resistance Movement — is the Palestinian wing of the Muslim Brotherhood and has governed the Gaza Strip since its violent seizure of power in 2007. Designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, and others, Hamas carried out the October 7, 2023 massacre — the deadliest single-day killing of Jews since the Holocaust — murdering 1,200 people, raping women, and taking 251 hostages. Jihadist Muslim Brotherhood Levant Desk Gaza Iran Backed October 7 Founded 1987 During the First Intifada, as MB’s Palestinian branch October 7 Killed 1,200 Deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust Hostages Taken 251 Including women, children, and elderly civilians Primary Backers Iran & Qatar Financial, military, and political support Origins History & Founding Hamas (an Arabic acronym for Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya — Islamic Resistance Movement) was founded in December 1987 by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, a paraplegic cleric, and his associates during the outbreak of the First Palestinian Intifada. It emerged directly from the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, which had been operating in Gaza since the 1950s building schools, mosques, and social welfare institutions — the same grassroots infiltration strategy employed globally by the Brotherhood. From its founding, Hamas explicitly rejected the possibility of a negotiated two-state solution. Its original 1988 charter called for the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic state across all of historic Palestine, citing the antisemitic forgery The Protocols of the Elders of Zion as evidence of a global Jewish conspiracy. A revised charter in 2017 softened some language but maintained the fundamental rejection of Israel’s right to exist and explicitly endorsed continued armed struggle. “Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.” Hamas Charter, 1988 — preamble Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Hamas conducted a systematic campaign of suicide bombings targeting Israeli buses, markets, restaurants, and discotheques — killing hundreds of Israeli civilians and derailing multiple peace processes. In January 2006, Hamas won Palestinian legislative elections. In June 2007 it launched a violent coup against Fatah forces in Gaza, executing rivals, throwing prisoners from rooftops, and establishing sole control over the territory’s 2.3 million inhabitants. Key Events Timeline 1987 Hamas founded by Sheikh Ahmed Yassin during the First Intifada as the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. 1988 Hamas publishes its founding charter calling for the destruction of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic state across all of historic Palestine. 1993–2000 Hamas suicide bombing campaign against Israeli civilians intensifies, targeting buses, markets, and public spaces. Attacks kill hundreds and derail the Oslo peace process. 2006 Hamas wins Palestinian legislative elections. Western governments and Israel refuse to recognise the result and impose sanctions. 2007 Hamas violently seizes full control of Gaza in coup against Fatah. Rivals executed and thrown from rooftops. Gaza blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt. 2008–2021 Four major conflicts with Israel. Hamas fires thousands of rockets at Israeli civilian population centres. Uses civilian infrastructure including hospitals and schools as military cover. 7 October 2023 Hamas launches its largest ever attack. 3,000 fighters breach the Gaza border fence, massacring 1,200 Israelis. 251 taken hostage. Systematic rape and sexual violence documented by UN investigators. Israel launches military campaign to destroy Hamas. Doctrine Ideology & Goals Hamas’s ideology fuses Palestinian nationalism with Islamism — specifically the Muslim Brotherhood’s vision of a society governed by Sharia. Unlike secular Palestinian nationalist movements, Hamas frames the conflict with Israel not as a territorial or political dispute but as a religious obligation: a jihad that all Muslims are duty-bound to support. The organisation’s foundational position is the total non-recognition of Israel’s legitimacy in any borders. Hamas has consistently rejected, sabotaged, or undermined every negotiated framework — from Oslo to the Abraham Accords — on the grounds that no Muslim land may ever be permanently ceded to non-Muslims. “We will not betray our principles. Palestine is Islamic land and will not be given up.” Yahya Sinwar, Hamas leader in Gaza, architect of the October 7 attack Hamas’s political bureau, headquartered in Doha with Qatari government protection, maintains a deliberately separate public posture from its military wing — the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades — allowing it to conduct diplomatic engagement while directing terrorism. October 7, 2023 The October 7 Massacre In the early hours of 7 October 2023 — the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah — approximately 3,000 Hamas fighters and affiliated militants breached the Gaza security fence at multiple points and poured into southern Israel. What followed was the largest mass killing of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust. Kibbutz massacres: Hamas fighters systematically moved through kibbutzim — small agricultural communities — executing entire families in their homes and shelters. In Kibbutz Be’eri, approximately 100 of the community’s 1,100 residents were killed. Infants were among the dead. Nova Music Festival: At least 364 festival-goers were massacred. Systematic sexual violence was carried out against women; UN investigators subsequently confirmed rape, gang rape, and sexual mutilation as deliberate tactics. Hostages: 251 people — including infants, children, elderly individuals, and foreign nationals from over 30 countries — were taken into Gaza. Many were subjected to abuse, deprivation, and sexual violence during captivity. Over a year after the attack, dozens remained in captivity. Documentation: Hamas fighters filmed the atrocities on body cameras and mobile phones, uploading footage in real time. This documentation has provided unambiguous evidence of systematic, premeditated war crimes and crimes against humanity. IFC Documentation Affected Populations & IFC Desks Hamas’s violence primarily targets Israeli and Jewish communities but its governance of Gaza and regional activities impact a broader range of populations documented across IFC desks. Levant Desk Israeli Jews — primary targets of Hamas rocket campaigns and the October 7 massacre. Israeli Druze and Arab citizens also affected by Hamas violence. Levant Desk Palestinian secular and Christian communities in Gaza subjected to

Islamic State (ISIS) – IFC Back to Jihadist Movements Library Jihadist Organisation  ·  Emerged 2013 Islamic State(ISIS) The Islamic State — also known as ISIS, ISIL, or Daesh — declared a global caliphate in June 2014, shocking the world with its speed of conquest, industrial-scale atrocities, and sophisticated use of social media. Though its territorial caliphate was destroyed in 2019, ISIS remains one of the most dangerous jihadist networks on earth. Jihadist Salafi-Jihadism West Africa Sahel Levant South Asia Global Caliphate Caliphate Declared June 2014 Mosul, Iraq — collapsed March 2019 Peak Territory 88,000 km² Larger than the United Kingdom at its height Estimated Deaths 200,000+ Directly caused by ISIS violence, 2013–2019 Active Affiliates 19 Provinces Wilayat across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East Origins History & Founding The Islamic State’s roots trace to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a Jordanian jihadist who established Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) following the 2003 US-led invasion. Under Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who assumed leadership in 2010, the group expanded into Syria in 2013 and seized vast territories with terrifying speed. On 29 June 2014, from the pulpit of the Great Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul, al-Baghdadi proclaimed himself Caliph and announced the restoration of the Islamic Caliphate. The declaration triggered an unprecedented wave of foreign fighter recruitment — an estimated 40,000 individuals from over 100 countries. “Rush O Muslims to your state. Yes, it is your state. Rush, because Syria is not for the Syrians, and Iraq is not for the Iraqis. The earth is Allah’s.” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, caliphate declaration speech, Mosul, June 2014 At its peak, ISIS controlled territory spanning from the outskirts of Baghdad to the suburbs of Aleppo — governing approximately 8 million people and generating revenues of $1–2 billion annually. The fall of Mosul in 2017 and final defeat at Baghouz in March 2019 ended its territorial experiment — but not the organisation itself. Key Events Timeline 2003Abu Musab al-Zarqawi establishes Al-Qaeda in Iraq following the US invasion. Begins campaign of suicide bombings and sectarian massacres. 2006Al-Zarqawi killed in US airstrike. Organisation rebrands as the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). Al-Baghdadi assumes leadership in 2010. 2013ISI expands into Syria, renaming itself ISIS/ISIL. Captures Raqqa as its de facto capital. Publicly breaks with Al-Qaeda. June 2014ISIS seizes Mosul. Al-Baghdadi declares the Caliphate. Yazidi genocide begins in Sinjar. Camp Speicher massacre — 1,700 Iraqi soldiers executed. 2015Paris attacks (130 killed), Beirut bombing, Russian airliner downed over Sinai (224 killed). Brussels attacks follow in 2016 (32 killed). 2017Fall of Mosul after nine-month battle. Raqqa liberated. Territorial caliphate rapidly collapses. 2019Final defeat at Baghouz, Syria. Al-Baghdadi killed in US special forces raid. Organisation transitions to global insurgency model. 2020–PresentISIS-K carries out Kabul airport bombing (2021, 183 killed) and Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow (2024, 145 killed). Affiliates across Africa escalate operations. Doctrine Ideology & Theology ISIS espouses Salafi-jihadism — a literalist interpretation of Sunni Islam that rejects centuries of Islamic scholarly tradition. Central to its theology is takfir — declaring other Muslims apostates and therefore legitimate targets for killing — which justified mass slaughter of Shia Muslims, Sunnis cooperating with non-ISIS governments, and virtually all non-Muslims. ISIS’s embrace of apocalyptic prophecy distinguished it even within the jihadist world. It deliberately sought to provoke a final, world-ending battle at Dabiq, Syria — referenced in Hadith as the end-times confrontation site. This eschatological framework made negotiations or moderation theologically impossible. “The spark has been lit here in Iraq, and its heat will continue to intensify… until it burns the crusader armies in Dabiq.” Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, ideological forefather of ISIS Unlike Al-Qaeda, which prioritised attacking the West to destabilise Muslim governments, ISIS focused first on seizing and governing territory — building a functioning state as proof of its divine mandate. Documented Violence Atrocities & War Crimes Yazidi Genocide: In August 2014, ISIS surrounded the Yazidi heartland of Sinjar. Approximately 5,000 men and boys were executed; an estimated 7,000 women and children were enslaved and subjected to systematic sexual violence. The UN Security Council formally designated this a genocide in 2016. Christian persecution: ISIS systematically expelled and executed Iraq’s and Syria’s ancient Christian communities. The Christian population of Mosul — present for nearly 2,000 years — was entirely expelled in July 2014. Churches were destroyed or converted to ISIS administrative buildings. Mass executions: The Camp Speicher massacre (June 2014) saw approximately 1,700 unarmed Iraqi Air Force cadets executed in a single operation. Prisoners were beheaded, burned alive, drowned in cages, and thrown from buildings — all filmed for global distribution. Global terrorism: The November 2015 Paris attacks (130 killed), 2016 Brussels bombings (32 killed), 2016 Nice truck attack (86 killed), 2017 Manchester Arena bombing (22 killed), and dozens of other mass-casualty attacks were carried out by ISIS operatives or inspired by its ideology. Global Network Active Affiliates & Provinces The collapse of the territorial caliphate dispersed thousands of trained fighters into pre-existing affiliate networks. Today ISIS operates through a global franchise model with provincial commands across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. ISWAP West Africa / Lake Chad Basin Dominant jihadist force in northeast Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. Absorbed much of Boko Haram. Targets military and civilians. ISKP Afghanistan / Pakistan / Central Asia Responsible for the 2021 Kabul airport bombing and the 2024 Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow. Recruits Central Asian fighters. ISGS / Sahel Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Competes with JNIM (Al-Qaeda affiliate) for dominance across the Sahel, targeting civilians and security forces. IS-Mozambique Northern Mozambique Controls areas of Cabo Delgado province. Has carried out mass beheadings and displaced hundreds of thousands. IS-Somalia Puntland, Somalia Operates in Puntland region, competing with Al-Shabaab. Carrying out targeted assassinations and bombings. IS-Philippines Mindanao, Philippines Led 2017 siege of Marawi City (five months, 1,000+ killed). Continues operating in southern Philippines. IFC Documentation Affected Populations & IFC Desks ISIS’s geographic reach touches nearly every IFC regional desk. The communities most severely victimised are among those the IFC was founded to document and advocate for. West Africa

Muslim Brotherhood – IFC Back to Jihadist Movements Library Islamist Movement  ·  Founded 1928 MuslimBrotherhood The world’s oldest and most influential Islamist movement — the ideological progenitor of virtually every major Sunni jihadist organisation operating today, from Hamas and Al-Qaeda to ISIS. Political Islam Global Networks North Africa Europe Levant Sharia Governance Founded 1928 Ismailia, Egypt, by Hassan al-Banna Active In 70+ Countries Formal branches and affiliate networks Ideology Islamism Pan-Islamic Sharia-based governance Designation Status Varies by State Designated terrorist: Russia, Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia Origins History & Founding The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in March 1928 in Ismailia, Egypt by Hassan al-Banna, a 22-year-old schoolteacher influenced by the collapse of the Ottoman Caliphate in 1924. Al-Banna sought to re-Islamise Muslim populations through education, social welfare, and ultimately political power. The Brotherhood’s foundational slogan — “Allah is our objective; the Prophet is our leader; the Quran is our law; Jihad is our way; dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope” — encapsulated its totalising vision. “It is the nature of Islam to dominate, not to be dominated, to impose its law on all nations and to extend its power to the entire planet.” Hassan al-Banna, founder, Muslim Brotherhood By the 1940s, the Brotherhood had grown to 500,000 members in Egypt alone. After a 1954 assassination attempt on Nasser, he banned the organisation. It was in prison that Sayyid Qutb developed the ideology that would directly inspire Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Key Events Timeline 1928Hassan al-Banna founds the Muslim Brotherhood in Ismailia, Egypt. 1948Brotherhood fighters participate in the Arab-Israeli War. Egyptian PM al-Nuqrashi is assassinated; al-Banna is killed by Egyptian security services in retaliation. 1954–1970Nasser bans the Brotherhood. Sayyid Qutb writes Milestones in prison — foundational to Al-Qaeda and ISIS ideology. 1973–1990sBrotherhood spreads globally. Hamas is founded in 1987 as the Brotherhood’s Palestinian wing. 2011–2013Arab Spring brings Brotherhood to power in Egypt under Morsi. Morsi is ousted by military coup; Egypt designates the Brotherhood terrorist. 2013–PresentMultiple states designate the Brotherhood terrorist. Qatar and Turkey continue to support Brotherhood-aligned movements globally. Doctrine Ideology & Strategy The Brotherhood employs a gradualist strategy combining da’wa, social services, political participation, and institutional infiltration — building parallel social structures that create dependency, then leveraging this base to pursue political power. “The Ikhwan must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilisation from within.” An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Brotherhood in North America, 1991 — admitted as FBI evidence, 2004 Sayyid Qutb’s concept of takfir — declaring other Muslims apostates — became the theological justification for violence against Muslim governments and directly spawned Al-Qaeda and Hamas. Operations Activities & Methods Institutional infiltration: In the United States, organisations including CAIR, ISNA, and the Muslim American Society were identified in federal court proceedings as Brotherhood fronts. Finance and media: Qatar’s Al Jazeera serves as a de facto Brotherhood propaganda platform. Turkish state media under Erdoğan has similarly amplified Brotherhood narratives. Political power seizure: The Brotherhood participated in elections across Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Morocco, and Gaza. Hamas has governed Gaza since its 2007 coup against the Palestinian Authority. Armed wings: The Brotherhood has founded, supported, or inspired Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and various Syrian rebel factions. IFC Documentation Affected Populations & IFC Desks The Muslim Brotherhood’s reach is global, directly impacting communities documented across multiple IFC regional desks. Levant DeskHamas — the Brotherhood’s Palestinian wing — governs Gaza and has carried out mass violence against Israeli Jews, Druze, and Arab Christians. North Africa DeskBrotherhood movements in Egypt have historically targeted Coptic Christians and suppressed Amazigh cultural identity. Europe DeskBrotherhood-linked networks in France, UK, Germany, and Belgium have radicalised individuals, promoted antisemitism, and opposed integration. Northern Middle East DeskBrotherhood-affiliated factions in Syria have targeted Alawite, Kurdish, and Christian communities during the civil war. IFC Severity RatingMedium – High Group Profile TypeIslamist Movement Founded1928, Egypt FounderHassan al-Banna HeadquartersDecentralised (Qatar, Turkey) Active Countries70+ Key AffiliatesHamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ennahda State BackersQatar, Turkey Designation Status EgyptDesignated Terrorist RussiaDesignated Terrorist Saudi ArabiaDesignated Terrorist UAEDesignated Terrorist USANot designated (debated) UKNot designated EUNot designated Related IFC Desks Levant Desk North Africa Desk Europe Desk Northern Middle East Desk Jihadist Movements Library Explore the Full Library Return to the IFC Jihadist Movements Library to explore profiles of other designated organisations and state enablers. Back to Library