The Qatar-based IUMS promotes itself as a pan-Muslim organization “safeguarding the Muslim identity and bridging the gap between the peoples and their rulers in the Islamic countries.” Its membership comprises around 95,000 scholars and 67 scholarly organizations from around the Muslim world. The IUMS includes among its members Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. IUMS Secretary-General Ali al-Qaradaghi has stated on behalf of IUMS that “[W]e view Hamas from the perspective of the Palestinian cause, which must remain the pre-eminent cause not just for the union for all Arabs, Muslims and free humanitarians of the world.” Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain added the IUMS to its collective terrorism list in February 2017 for the group’s “work to promote terrorism through the exploitation of Islamic discourse, which they use as cover to carry out various terrorist activities.”
IUMS
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
On April 3, 2017, the day Vladimir Putin was due to visit the city, a suicide bombing was carried out in the St. Petersburg metro, killing 15 people and injuring 64. An al-Qaeda affiliate, Imam Shamil Battalion, claimed responsibility.
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