Jaish-e-Mohammed's Expanding Female Network: Pulwama Mastermind's Wife Joins Terror Outfit Before Delhi Blast

Prior to the Delhi explosion, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) welcomed a significant new member. Afira Bibi, spouse of the terror strategist behind the 2019 Pulwama attack, has now become a prominent figure in JeM's female division, "Jamaat-ul-Mominat."

She has been appointed to the brigade's Shura, or advisory council. In this role, she will collaborate with Sadia Azhar, the younger sibling of UN-designated terrorist Masood Azhar, who has consistently been open about his intentions to execute terrorist operations across the border. Sadia is married to terrorist Yusuf Azhar, the architect of the Kandahar hijacking who perished during Operation Sindoor strikes on Jaish's Bahawalpur facility.

Sadia plays a crucial role in Azhar's sinister plans to propagate terror within India. She has become an instrumental asset in expanding his organization's influence and radicalizing and recruiting female members. Under her guidance, Bibi will also supervise the activities of the Jamaat-un-Mominat.

Afira Bibi's Husband

Bibi's spouse, Umar Farooq, was a high-ranking commander in the Jaish hierarchy. He was the principal plotter behind the Pulwama attack. During this attack, an explosive-laden vehicle crashed into a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy, resulting in the deaths of 40 personnel on February 14, 2019. He was killed in a confrontation in the Dachigam National Park area of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

The Women's Brigade

Azhar announced the formation of the women's brigade on October 8. On October 19, an event titled 'Dukhtaran-e-Islam' was organized in Rawalkot, POK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), to recruit female members into the group. To manage these activities, he appointed his sister, Sadia, and subsequently, Bibi.

The core objective behind Sadia and Bibi's appointments is Azhar's strategy to disseminate his propaganda and ideology among Muslim women. Intelligence sources indicate that Jaish is attempting to strengthen its network through women, following models similar to ISIS, Hamas, and LTTE, with the ultimate goal of preparing them for fidayeen (suicide) attacks.

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According to intelligence sources, the Jamaat-un-Mominat is actively engaged in recruiting women into Jaish. They are attempting to indoctrinate women with extremist viewpoints under the pretense of "religious education" and "social activities."

Intelligence agencies believe this represents a new strategy by the terrorist organization to promote radicalism and terrorism, attempting to frame it as "women's empowerment."

Terror Course For Women

The Jamaat-un-Mominat launched an online training program last month to gather funds and recruit large numbers of women, according to exclusive information obtained by NDTV. Through this course, named 'Tufat al-Mominat', female family members of Jaish commanders would be instructed on the "duties of women under the perspectives of jihad." The course scope even included members from Azhar's own family.

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The recruitment initiative was scheduled to commence on November 8. Masood Azhar's sisters, Sadia and Samaira Azhar, were assigned to deliver 40-minute lectures daily on online platforms and encourage women to join the Jamat ul-Muminat.

Jaish also collected PKR 500 from each woman enrolling in the course, with Azhar soliciting funds in his most recent address at his Bahawalpur camp. Additionally, women are required to complete an online registration form.

Delhi Blast Link

The women's brigade has been connected to the Red Fort explosion through Dr. Shaheen Saeed, a Lucknow resident. Saeed, one of the Jamaat-un-Mominat recruits in India, had been assigned to establish the organization's local branch within the country. She was apprehended after authorities discovered an assault rifle and ammunition in her vehicle, hours before an i20 car exploded in slow-moving traffic near the Red Fort Metro Station on Monday evening. The blast claimed nine lives and injured nearly two dozen people.