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Message: <blockquote data-quote="aye_sha90" data-source="post: 1232337" data-attributes="member: 11913">NAME: Orange Volunteers (OV)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: Late 1990s.GOALS: Prevent a political settlement with Irish nationalists.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.STRENGTH: Up to 20 hard-core members, some of whom are experienced in terrorist tactics and bomb making.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Northern Ireland.AFFILIATIONS: None.COMMENTS: Comprised largely of disgruntled loyalist hardliners who split from groups observing the cease-fire. The OV declared a cease-fire in September 2000, but the group maintains the ability to conduct bombings, arson, beatings, and possibly robberies. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) but listed as "active" during 2000. NAME: Real IRA (RIRA) a.k.a. True IRADATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: February-March 1998.GOALS: Removing British forces from Northern Ireland and unifying Ireland.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.STRENGTH: 150 to 200.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Northern Ireland, Irish Republic, Great Britain.AFFILIATIONS: Possible limited support from IRA hardliners dissatisfied with the IRA cease-fire and other republican sympathizers. Suspected of receiving funds from sympathizers in the United States. RIRA also is thought to have purchased sophisticated weapons from the Balkans, according to press reports.COMMENTS: The clandestine armed wing of the 32-County Sovereignty Movement, a "political pressure group" opposed to Sinn Fein's adoption of the Mitchell principles of democracy and nonviolence 1999 additions to the Irish Constitution, which lay claim to Northern Ireland. Listed as "active" during 2000, it was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on October 5, 2001.  NAME: Red Hand Defenders (RHD)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: Late 1990s.GOALS: Prevent a political settlement with Irish nationalists by attacking Catholic civilian interests in Northern Ireland.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.STRENGTH: Up to 20 members.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Northern Ireland.AFFILIATIONS: None.COMMENTS: Extremist terrorist group composed largely of Protestant hardliners from other loyalist groups observing a cease-fire. RHD was quiet in 2000, following a damaging crackdown by security forces in late 1999. In prior years, the group has carried out numerous pipe bombings and arson attacks against "soft" civilian targets, such as homes, churches, and private businesses, to cause outrage in the republican community and to provoke IRA retaliation. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) but listed as "active" during 2000. OCCUPIED TERRITORIESNAME: Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: 2000GOALS: Drive the Israeli military and people from the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem and establish a Palestinian state.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: At least five U.S. citizens have been killed in attacks, but probably not because of their citizenship.  The group mainly targets Israeli military personnel and civilians.STRENGTH: Unknown.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Mainly in the West Bank, but has also claimed responsibility for attacks inside Israel and the Gaza Strip.AFFILIATIONS: Unknown.COMMENTS: Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade is composed of cells of Fatah-affiliated activists that emerged with the onset of the intifadah in 2000.  In January 2002, an al-Aqsa member became the first female suicide bomber in the intifadah.  The group was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) on March 27, 2002. NAME: Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: 1969.GOALS: Achieve Palestinian national goals through revolution of the masses.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.STRENGTH: 500.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Syria, Lebanon, and the Israeli-occupied territories.AFFILIATIONS: One of the two factions joined with other rejectionist groups to form the Alliances of Palestinian Forces (APF), but broke it off. Has made limited moves toward merging with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) since the mid-1990s. Receives limited financial and military aid from Syria.COMMENTS: Marxist-Leninist organization founded when it split from the PFLP. Opposed the Israel-PLO peace agreement. NAME: HAMAS (Islamic Resistance Movement)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: 1987.GOALS: Establishing an Islamic Palestinian state in place of Israel.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: Unknown.STRENGTH: Unknown number of hard-core members; tens of thousands of supporters and sympathizers.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Primarily the occupied territories, Israel. In August 1999, Jordanian authorities closed the group's Political Bureau offices in Amman, arrested its leaders, and prohibited the group from operating on Jordanian territory.AFFILIATIONS: Receives funding from Palestinian expatriates, Iran, and private benefactors in Saudi Arabia and other moderate Arab states. Some fundraising and propaganda activities take place in Western Europe and North America.COMMENTS: Formed as an outgrowth of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Various HAMAS elements have used both political and violent means, including terrorism. Loosely structured, with some elements working clandestinely and others working openly through mosques and social service institutions to recruit members, raise money, organize activities, and distribute propaganda. Also has engaged in peaceful political activity, such as running candidates in West Bank Chamber of Commerce elections. A Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) listed as "active" during 2000. NAME: The Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: 1970s.GOALS: The creation of an Islamic Palestinian state and the destruction of Israel through holy war.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: Because of its strong support for Israel, the United States has been identified as an enemy of the PIJ, but the group has not specifically conducted attacks against U.S. interests in the past. In July 2000, however, publicly threatened to attack U.S. interests if the U.S. Embassy is moved from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.STRENGTH: Unknown.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Primarily Israel and the occupied territories and other parts of the Middle East, including Jordan and Lebanon. Headquartered in Syria.AFFILIATIONS: Receives financial assistance from Iran and limited logistic assistance from Syria.COMMENTS: Originated among militant Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during the 1970s. Also opposes moderate Arab governments that it believes have been tainted by Western secularism. A Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) listed as "active" during 2000. PAKISTANNAME: Harakat ul-Ansar (HUA)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: October 1993.GOALS: Oppose Indian troops in Kashmir.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: U.S. nationals were kidnapped in New Delhi in 1994 in effort to secure the release of imprisoned HUA leader Maulana Masood Azhar.STRENGTH: Several thousand armed supportersOPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Based in Pakistan, but operates mainly in Kashmir.AFFILIATIONS: Collects funds from supporters in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf and Islamic states, and from Pakistanis and Kashmiris. Has been linked to the Kashmiri militant group Al-Faran. See "Army of Muhammad (JEM)." NAME: Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: Early 1990s.GOALS: Unite Kashmir with Pakistan.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None, although new leader Farooq Kashmiri. Khalil, who took control of HUM in February 2000, has been linked to Bin Ladin and signed his fatwah in February 1998 calling for attacks on U.S. and Western interests.STRENGTH: Several thousand armed supporters.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Based in Muzaffarabad, Rawalpindi, and several other towns in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but members conduct insurgent and terrorist activities primarily in Kashmir. The HUM trains its militants in Afghanistan and Pakistan.AFFILIATIONS: Collects donations from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf and Islamic states, and from Pakistanis and Kashmiris. The sources and amount of HUM's military funding are unknown. Leadership has been linked to Osama Bin Ladin.COMMENTS: Formerly known as the Harakat al-Ansar, the HUM is an Islamic militant group based in Pakistan that operates primarily in Kashmir. Supporters are mostly Pakistanis and Kashmiris, and also include Afghans and Arab veterans of the Afghan war. Uses light and heavy machineguns, assault rifles, mortars, explosives, and rockets. HUM lost some of its membership in defections to the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM). Continues to operate terrorist training camps in eastern Afghanistan. A Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) listed as "active" during 2000. NAME: Jaish-e-Mohammed (JEM) (Army of Mohammed)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: February, 2000.GOALS: Unite Kashmir with Pakistan.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None. JEM's leader, Maulana Masood Azhar, is a former leader of Harakat ul-Ansar (HUA), and was imprisoned until 1999 when he was released in a hostage exchange. U.S. nationals were kidnapped in New Delhi in 1994 in an earlier HUA effort to secure his release.STRENGTH: Several hundred armed supporters.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Based in Peshawar and Muzaffarabad, but members conduct terrorist activities primarily in Kashmir. The JEM maintains training camps in Afghanistan.AFFILIATIONS: Most of the JEM's cadre and material resources have been drawn from the militant groups Harakat ul-Jihad al-Islami (HUJI) and the Harakat ul-Mujahidin (HUM). The JEM has close ties to Afghan Arabs and the Taliban. Osama Bin Laden is suspected of giving funding to the JEM.COMMENTS: The JEM is an Islamist group based in Pakistan that has rapidly expanded in size and capability. Supporters are mostly Pakistanis and Kashmiris, and also include Afghans and Arab veterans of the Afghan war. Uses light and heavy machineguns, assault rifles, mortars, improvised explosive devices, and rocket grenades. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), but listed as "active" during 2000. NAME: Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LT) (Army of the Righteous)DATE STARTED/FIRST ACTIVE: 1989.GOALS: Unite Kashmir with Pakistan.MAIN ANTI-U.S. ACTIVITIES TO DATE: None.STRENGTH: Several hundred members.OPERATIONAL LOCATIONS: Based in Muridke (near Lahore) and Muzaffarabad. The LT trains its militants in mobile training camps across Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Afghanistan.AFFILIATIONS: Collects donations from the Pakistani community in the Persian Gulf and United Kingdom, Islamic NGOs, and Pakistani and Kashmiri businessmen. The amount of LT funding is unknown. The LT maintains ties to religious/military groups around the world, ranging from the Philippines to the Middle East and Chechnya through the MDI fraternal network.COMMENTS: The LT is the armed wing of the Pakistan-based religious organization, Markaz-ud-Dawa-wal-Irshad (MDI) — a Sunni anti-U.S. missionary organization. One of the three largest and best-trained groups fighting in Kashmir against India, it is not connected to a political party. The group has conducted a number of operations against Indian troops and civilian targets in Kashmir since 1993. Almost all LT cadres are foreigners — mostly Pakistanis from seminaries across the country and Afghan veterans of the Afghan wars. Uses assault rifles, light and heavy machineguns, mortars, explosives, and rocket propelled grenades. NOT a Designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) but listed as "active" during 2000.</blockquote>

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