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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| 'Foreign militants used JI institute' |
| 2004-08-18 |
| Some foreign students who attended the Maulana Maudoodi Institute in Lahore fought for jihadi groups, but the Jamaat-e-Islami school never supported foreign militants, Jamaat sources told Daily Times on Wednesday. "The Maulana Maudoodi Institute in Lahore was once a hub of Arab Mujahideen but the administration was not aware of their activities. After September 11, some of the Arabs disappeared mysteriously and the administration made a conscious effort to look into foreign students," a teacher at the institute said. The Jamaat is considered the best-organised political party in Pakistan with close links with Islamic movements all over the world and branch offices around the globe. There are independent JIs in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Indian-held Kashmir, but the braches in other countries are controlled by the Pakistan organisation. These branches usually work among overseas Pakistani communities and their basic purpose is to collect funds for the party. The Jamaat has recently faced accusations from Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat that it is supporting Al Qaeda-linked militants. The JI also came under criticism when Al Qaeda members were arrested from members' houses. However, when Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, considered the top Al Qaeda leader after Osama Bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri, was arrested from a JI man's house in March 2003, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), in its first ever official press conference, stressed that the Jamaat had no links with Al Qaeda. |
| Posted by:Fred |