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Name of
Organization |
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Al-Haramain Foundation (Pakistan) |
Formation |
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The organization was formed as a charity in 1988.
Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation is a branch of the
Muslim World League (MWL) charity founded in 1988. It was also believed to be closely linked to the Saudi government. It had 3,000 employees and an annual budget $40 – 60 million. It had branches in about 50 countries, including a
US branch based in Oregon
[1]
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Leadership |
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Founder of Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation:
As per the available information, there is no detailed profile of Aqeel Abdul Aziz Aqeel al-Aqeel apart from his affiliation with Al-Haramain Foundation. Aqeel was the Chairman, Director General, President and Founder of Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation from 1988 – 2004. As per action taken by the US and Saudi government (Ministry of religious affairs) regarding the organization’s
involvement with terrorist groups, he along with the Deputy General and two other senior officials was fired from these posts in 2004. However, he remained chairman of the board of directors of the foundation’s branch in Netherlands till 2004 and has considerable influence over the activities carried out by the organization worldwide
[2]
Leadership in Pakistan:
Ahmed Said Khadr was an Egyptian born Canadian, who studied engineering from University of Ottawa in the late 70s. Later, he joined the university’s
Muslim Student Association (MSA)
[3]. In 1980, he travelled to Afghanistan where he was involved in fighting the Soviet forces during which, he also established contact with Osama Bin Laden. Later on, he joined Al Haramain Foundation to run its office in Pakistan (located in Karachi). He conducted service delivery and charitable activities including setting up of orphanages, medical clinics and agricultural projects in support of
militant organizations
[4]
He was
arrested in 1996 for financing the bomb attack on
Egyptian embassy in Islamabad, but was later released on
the
request of Canadian Government
[5]. He was also
considered as a founding member of Al-Qaeda and was
heading the Al-Haramain Foundation in Pakistan.
Following 9/11 he was put on suspected terrorist list
and was later killed in 2003, in a shootout with
Pakistani security forces
[6]. After Khadr’s death, Sheikh
Asadullah took over his position, however he was also
killed a few years later (details about Asadullah are
not available) [7].
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School of
Thought |
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Wahabi
It is a reform
movement in Islam, originating in Arabia.It was founded
by Muhammad ibnAbdal-Wahab (c.1703–1791), influenced by
IbnTaymiyya; involving essentially a purification of the
Sunni sect. It is taught that all accretions to Islam
after the 3rd century of the Muslim era or after 950 C.E.
are unauthentic and must be taken out
[8]. Al-Harmain
Foundation apparently aims to promote Wahabi ideology
through charity around the world. However, it has links
with various
extremist militant organizations,
while promoting violence and armed conflict
[9].
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Structure of
the Organization |
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It is a
non-government organization. The main leadership is
based in Saudi Arabia, while the members are also Saudi
citizens. Country offices are managed by nationals of
each country. In Pakistan, Ahmed Said Khadr was the head
of operations before his demise and after his death, his
successor was Sheikh Asadullah. The organization is
considered to be non-governmental but it has acquired
charity from the Saudi government and some officials
also had nominal roles in its management. Saudi Minister
for religious affairs was the chairman of Al-Haramain’s
board in 2004 [10].
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Financial Resources |
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The
organization acquired charity from wealthy individuals
and groups from Middle East, specifically Saudi Arabia.
It is also reported to have acquired funding also from
the Saudi Government. Moreover, the organization is also
alleged for acquiring finances through Smuggling, drug
running and prostitution
[11].
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Status |
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Disbanded
[12] and proscribed on January 26, 2004
by UN Security Council
[13] &March 06, 2012 in Pakistan
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Recruitment
tools & demographics |
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The
organization utilized tools such as community services
in regions including Africa, Middle East, South Asia,
South East Asia, Europe and North America targeting
Muslim communities. They built mosques, carried out
water provision activities, provided meals, established
and equipped medical facilities and operated orphanages.
This assisted them in creating inroads into the
communities while also acquiring up to 3000 recruits in
their foundation. They also funded the staff and imam in
the mosques established by them. Through this manner,
they promoted their ideology and acquired supporters
[14].
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Ideology |
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Al-Haramain
aimed at promoting Wahabi ideology through charity
including development of medical facilities, setting up
of mosques and provision of clean water; around the
world and encouraged “callers to Islam to teach the
people good and to warn them from wrongs”. Apparently,
they carried out charitable activities for vulnerable
communities however they funded various militant
organizations to promote violence
[15].
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Areas of
Operation |
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It was based
in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia while operating in 50 countries
including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia,
Albania, Indonesia, Kenya, Nigeria, Netherlands,
Somalia, Tanzania, United States, Ethiopia and Comoros.
The details of remaining 36 countries are not available
[16] |
Linkages |
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Al-Haramain
Foundation is alleged to have links with
Al-Qaeda,
Lashkar-e Taiba, and
Afghan
Taliban
[17]. |
Tools |
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Print Media:
Publications:
From the information acquired they have utilized books
and pamphlets for promoting their activities, but no
example or detail of such material is available. Reason
being that this organization has been dismantled and
deemed proscribed for a while now (2004), therefore most
of details regarding its operations are unavailable
[18].
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Audio / Video:
Not Available
Social
Media:
Not Available
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web site |
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Not Available
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Service
Delivery |
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According to
available information, Al-Haramain used to provide
services in various forms such as building of mosques,
water provision projects, medical facilities and
establishment of orphanages. According to estimates,
they used to operate 1,299 mosques along with 20
orphanages [19]. |
Name
Variations |
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No name variations of Al Haramain foundation Pakistan are known. |
Who they are
Al-Haramain Foundation was a
branch of Saudi based Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, which presented itself
as a charitable and educational Non-Governmental Organization. The reasons,
Al-Haramain Foundation is part of the database is (a) it allegedly provided
financial and logistical support to Al-Qaeda and also provided support to
Lashkar-e Taiba for which the organization was banned and dismantled and (b)
it fits our defined criteria for a terrorist organization. In January 2004,
an employee of Al-Haramain in Pakistan was detained under United States
custody on suspicion of assisting Al-Qaida. In 2002, a senior member of Al-Haramain
in Pakistan, who is also believed to be a facilitator on behalf of Bin
Laden, was carrying out a human smuggling ring to facilitate travel of
Al-Qaida members and their families out of Afghanistan to various other
countries [20].
Its main leadership was based in
Saudi Arabia, while it operated in more than 50 countries including Pakistan
and Afghanistan. According to available information, Al-Haramain used to
provide services in various forms such as building of mosques, water
provision projects, medical facilities and establishment of orphanages.
There is no detailed information regarding the services and facilities
provided by Al-Haramain in Pakistan. According to estimates by National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, Al-Haramain used to
operate 1,299 mosques along with 20 orphanages. They utilized books and
pamphlets for promoting their activities, but no example or detail of such
material is available, as this organization has been dismantled and deemed
proscribed for a while now (2004), therefore most of details regarding its
operations are unavailable. They acquired charity mainly from the Middle
East while also acquiring donations from the Saudi Government. Some Saudi
Government officials also had nominal roles in Al- Haramain’s management
[21].
The organization is also alleged for acquiring finances through smuggling,
drug running and prostitution rings[22].
History
The organization was formed in
1988 in Saudi Arabia, as a branch of Muslim World League (MWL) charity[23]. Al-Haramain
aimed at promoting Wahabi ideology through charity around the world while
apparently, they carried out charitable activities for vulnerable
communities. However they funded various militant organizations to promote
violence. The organization was based in Riyadh, while its operations span
across 50 countries worldwide, which include Pakistan and Afghanistan. The
founder and chairman of the organization Aqeel Abdul Aziz Aqeel al-Aqeel
remained was in charge of the organization from 1988 – 2004. As per the
joint action taken by the Saudi and US Government against the organization,
he was fired in 2004. The focal person of Al- Haramain in Pakistan, Ahmed
Said Khadr conducted service delivery and charitable actives in support of
militant organizations. He was later killed by Pakistani forces near the
Pak-Afghan border in 2003.Al-Haramain Foundation in Pakistan has also
provided support to Lashkar-e Taiba on various occasions[24]. On 26th January
2004 AHF was listed as being associated with Al Qaeda and Taliban for
participating in the financing, planning, and facilitation of activities[25]. The
organization was banned in Pakistan during 2012. The organization was banned
by Saudi Government in 2004 while its head of operations Sheikh Asadullah
was also killed in 2004. Since then, no details of any activities carried
out by the organization have come forward.
Organization's Message
TAl-Harmain Foundation apparently
aims to promote Wahabi ideology through charity around the world. However,
it has links with various
extremist militant organizations, while promoting violence and
armed conflict[26].
Target Audience
The target audience for the
activities carried out by the organization were mostly affluent individuals
in the Middle East and worldwide. They also created inroads into the
communities through their service delivery and encouraged people to join
militant outfits[27].
Tools
From the
information acquired it is evident that they mostly utilized books and
pamphlets for promoting their message. There are no details available for
the material published by Al-Harmain foundation since the organization is
non-functioning from 2004[28].
Splinter Groups
N/A
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[20] UN
Security Council.(2004). QE.A.104.04. AL-HARAMAIN FOUNDATION
(PAKISTAN). Retrieved on: July 15, 2013.Retrieved from:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/NSQE10404E.shtml
[25] UN
Security Council.(2004). QE.A.104.04. AL-HARAMAIN FOUNDATION
(PAKISTAN). Retrieved on: July 15, 2013.Retrieved from: http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/NSQE10404E.shtml.
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