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186———Islamic Jihad

carrying natural gas crashed into a synagogue on Today, several terrorist organizations are some-
a Tunisian resort island. The crash killed 17 people times referred to as “Islamic Jihad.” These include the
at the Ghriba synagogue on the island of Djerba, a following:
Jewish pilgrimage site and popular tourist destination.
The synagogue president and Tunisian officials at Al Jihad (aka Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Egyptian al-Jihad,
first called the crash an accident. However, the Islamic Jihad Group, New Jihad): Active since the 1970s, it has
Army for the Liberation of Holy Places soon claimed the goal of overthrowing the secular Egyptian govern-
responsibility, faxing a statement with corroborating ment and replacing it with an Islamic State.
details to two Arabic newspapers in London. The
A splinter group from Hezbollah (aka Islamic Jihad
statement said the attack was in retaliation for Israeli Organization, add most common other akas): Hezbollah
crimes against Palestinians. The synagogue bomb- had its origins in the Iranian revolution in 1979; during
ing is said to be the first Al Qaeda attack outside of 1982, it evolved into a group in with the goal of trans-
Afghanistan since September 11, 2001. The Tunisian forming Lebanon into an Islamic state and supporting
blast, like the Tanzanian embassy attack, used a truck Palestine in its battle with Israel. In the mid-1980s,
filled with butane gas. Tunisian officials later said that Hezbollah began kidnapping Westerners and holding them
the 24-year-old truck driver, Nizar Newar, had links to hostage, hoping to gain more influence in regional affairs
Islamic militant cells around the world. and bargain for the release of Shiites held in Israeli,
Kuwaiti, or Western jails. The Islamic Jihad splinter group
See also AL QAEDA; EAST AFRICAN EMBASSY BOMBINGS claimed responsibility for many of these kidnappings.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Founded in the late 1970s to
Further Reading
carry out attacks on Israeli military and civilian targets in
Hedges, Chris. “Explosion at Synagogue Tied to Jihad; support of a Islamic Palestinian state.
Arrest Made.” New York Times, April 24, 2002.
Johnson, Ian. “In Europe and Asia, More Hints of Al Qaeda These Islamic Jihad groups share a focus on using
Ties.” Wall Street Journal, April 19, 2002. violence to further establishment of Islamic states in
McNeil, Donald G., Jr. “Family of Driver Killed at Syna- the Middle East, but they may be more or less nation-
gogue Denies a Link to Terrorism.” New York Times, alist, religious, or territorial. These groups probably
April 18, 2002. have global connections with other terrorist groups
Trounson, Rebecca, and Dexter Filkins. “Islamic Groups and may function as factions within Al Qaeda.
Target U.S. With New Threats.” Los Angeles Times, However, because of their shifting membership, such
August 20, 1998, A1.
groups may be called by different names in the mass
media and even in government reports.
The groups referred to as Islamic Jihad, like other
ISLAMIC GREAT EASTERN RAIDERS. terrorist groups may begin as structured organizations
See GREAT EASTERN ISLAMIC RAIDERS’ FRONT. with a hierachical leadership. However, they tend to
evolve into loosely affiliated groups or “cells” that act
independently, with little or no centralized leadership.
However, they share a common commitment to con-
ISLAMIC GROUP. See GAMA’A ducting a “holy war” that is viewed as sanctioned or
AL-ISLAMIYYA. even mandated by Islamic law.
See also AL QAEDA; FREELANCE TERRORISM; JIHAD;
LEADERLESS RESISTANCE; SPECIFIC GROUPS
See also AL JIHAD; HEZBOLLAH; PALESTINIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD
ISLAMIC JIHAD
Further Reading
Although the term jihad can refer to a nonviolent
or violent struggle against evil, Islamic jihad usually ISLAMIC JIHAD FOR THE
refers to the use of force in an attempt to establish an LIBERATION OF PALESTINE. See
Islamic state or in an attack on individuals or nations HEZBOLLAH.
viewed as enemies of Islam.