Non-Subscriber Extract
IJU returns to Uzbekistan
22 June 2009
This image of the Islamic Jihad Union leader Abu Yahya Muhammad Fatih was released in January. Video footage of the same scene was included in the 28 May video. (Badr al-Tawhid)
The Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) marked the fourth anniversary of the 'Andijan massacre' by claiming its first attacks in Uzbekistan since July 2004. The incidents demonstrated that, after years of promoting its international credentials, the militant group still harbours a grudge against President Islam Karimov. However, the apparent use of a cross-border raid from Kyrgyzstan indicates that Uzbekistan remains a hostile operating environment for jihadists.