This article pertains to the Internal Security topic of UPSC GS 3 and covers the major terrorist groups and their attacks in India. Its purpose is to compile all relevant information on terror attacks and their associated organizations in one convenient location for easy revision.
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Major Terrorist Groups and Their Attack on India
Table of Contents
- Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
- Jaish-e-Muhammad /JeM /Army of Muhammad
- Hizbul Mujahideen
- Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
- Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)
- Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HIJI)
- Indian Mujahideen (IM)
- Harkat-ul-Mujahideen
- Other Terror Attacks
NOTE: This article mentions some attacks in multiple places because two or more groups committed them in association.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)
Founder: Hafez Saeed (1990)
Base: Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir
Mission: Liberating Kashmir from India and using it as a base to restore Muslim Rule in the Indian Subcontinent
Other Points: It is the largest and most active Terrorist Group in South Asia
Major Attacks:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attack on Red Fort | 2000 |
| 2 | Attack on Indian Parliament | 2001 |
| 3 | Attack on Akshardham Temple Gujarat | 2002 |
| 4 | Mumbai attack | 2003 |
| 5 | Delhi Bombing | 2005 |
| 6 | Mumbai Attack | 2006 |
| 7 | Mumbai Attack or 26/11 | 2008 |
| 8 | Attack on Rampur CRPF Camp | 2008 |
| 9 | Pune Bomb Blast/German Bakery Blast | 2010 |
| 10 | Gurdaspur Attack | 2015 |
| 11 | Pampore Attack | 2016 |
| 12 | Amarnath Yatra Attack | 2017 |
| 13 | Pulwama Attack | 2019 |
| 14 | Poonch-Rajouri Attack | 2023 |
Jaish-e-Muhammad /JeM /Army of Muhammad
Founder: Mazood Azhar (2000)
Base: Pakistan
Mission: to overthrow the Indian Government in Indian-administered Kashmir and gain control over the area
Other Points:
- Pakistan's ISI supports it
- It supported the Afghan Taliban against US-NATO-led Forces
- Harkat-ul-Mujahideen hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 to release Masood Azhar, who later formed this organization
Major Attacks:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attack on J & K Assembly | 2001 |
| 2 | Attack on Indian Parliament | 2001 |
| 3 | Attack on Akshardham Temple Gujarat | 2002 |
| 4 | Pathankot Airbase attack | 2016 |
| 5 | Uri military camp attack | 2016 |
| 6 | Nagrota base camp attack (suspected) | 2016 |
| 7 | Amritsar attack/Nirankari blast | 2018 |
| 8 | Pulwama Attack | 2019 |
Hizbul Mujahideen
Founder: Muhammad Ansar Dar (1989)
Base: Azad Kashmir
Mission: Separating Kashmir from India and Reuniting with Pakistan
Other Points: This is a Lawfully Operating Organisation in Pakistan
Major Attacks:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jammu bus stand grenade blast(suspected) | 2019 |
Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS)
Founder: Ayman al-Zawahiri (Indian Branch) (2014)
Base: India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, but operates mainly in Pakistan and Afghanistan
Mission: Establishment of Islamic Caliphate in the Indian Subcontinent
Other Points: This Organisation is Banned by the United Nations
Major Attacks: Some attacks are suspected, but they claim none
Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI)
Founder: Mohammad Ahmadullah Siddiqi (1977)
Base: India
Mission: Liberation of India from Western Influence and converting it to Islamic Land
Other Point:
- Banned under the UAPA Act.
- This outfit started as a student organization, but later on, due to communal riots between Hindus and Muslims, it became an extremist group
Major Attack:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pune Bomb Blast/German Bakery Blast(suspected) | 2010 |
| 2 | Patna Election rally blast(suspected) | 2013 |
Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HIJI)
Founder: Fazlur Rehman Khalil
Base: Pakistan
Mission: Enforcing Sharia Law in Kashmir, Afghanistan, Palestine and other Islamic land from Enemies
Other Points: This organization later reformed as Harkat-ul-Mujahideen
Major Attacks:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Attack on American Center, Kolkata | 2002 |
| 2 | Assassination of Gujarat Home Minister | 2003 |
| 3 | Delhi-Patna Sharamjeevi Bombing | 2005 |
| 4 | Varanasi Bombing | 2006 |
| 5 | Mecca-Masjid Bombing (suspected) | 2007 |
| 6 | Delhi High Court Bombing (suspected) | 2011 |
Indian Mujahideen (IM)
Founder: Amir Reza Khan and 4 others (2003)
Base: India
Mission: Creation of Islamic Caliphate in South Asia
Other Points: Radicalized Member of SIMI formed this Organisation
Major Attacks:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lucknow, Faizabad and Banaras Attack | 2007 |
| 2 | Jaipur, Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Delhi Blast | 2008 |
| 3 | Serious of Bomb blast in Mumbai | 2011 |
| 4 | Delhi High Court Attack | 2011 |
| 5 | Hyderabad Bomb Blast | 2013 |
| 6 | Bodh Gaya Bomb Blast | 2013 |
| 7 | Patna Election Rally blast | 2018 |
Harkat-ul-Mujahideen
Founder: Mazood Azhar (1998)
Base: Pakistan
Mission: Raise funds for Jihad and attract people to the cause
Other Points: It is a Splitter group from Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
Major Attacks:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | YEAR |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hijacking of India Airlines Flight 814 | 1999 |
Other Terror Attacks:
| S.NO | INCIDENTS | ORGANISATION | YEAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mumbai Bomb Blast | Mafia group associated with D Company | 1998 |
| 2 | Brahmaputra Mail Train Bombing | Bodo Security Force (suspected) | 1996 |
| 3 | Coimbatore Bombing | Al Umma | 2011 |
| 4 | Malegaon Blast | Right Wing Extremist | 2006 |
| 5 | Samjahuta Express and Ajmer Sharif Blast | Right Wing Extremist | 2007 |
| 6 | Pathankot Airbase Attack | United Jihad Council (claimed), JeM (suspected) |
2013 |
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