Al-Qaida declares new branch in Indian subcontinent

Al-Qaida leader Ayman al Zawahri (pictured above) on Wednesday announced the formation of an Indian branch of his militant group that he said would spread Islamic rule and “raise the flag of jihad” across the subcontinent. In a 55-minute online video, Zawahri also renewed a longstanding vow of loyalty to Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar, in an apparent snub to the Islamic State armed group challenging Al-Qaida for leadership of transnational Islamist militancy. Zawahri described the formation of “Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent” as a glad tidings for Muslims “in Burma, Bangladesh, Assam, Gujurat, Ahmedabad, and Kashmir”.

If you say that by your jihad you do not want but the pleasure of Allah, then you must not race for governance and leadership at the first opportunity.

Al-Qaida chief Ayman al Zawahri

Counter-terrorism experts say Al-Qaida’s ageing leaders are struggling to compete for recruits with Islamic State, which has galvanised young followers around the world by carving out tracts of territory across the Iraq-Syria border. Islamic State leader Abu Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi calls himself a “caliph” or head of state and has demanded the loyalty of all Muslims. The group fell out with Zawahri in 2013 over its expansion into Syria, where Baghdadi’s followers have carried out beheadings, crucifixions, and mass executions.

Asia-Pacific Al-Qaida India