Counter Terror Gazette

Group Profile: East Turkestan Islamic Movement

18 Apr 2011

The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is an Islamist terrorist organisation, based in Waziristan, in the Pakistan tribal region, close to its border with China, whose aim is to establish an independent caliphate in ‘East Turkestan’ and to convert all Chinese nationals to Islam. ‘East Turkestan’ is a controversial term and an unofficial territory which approximately equates to Xinjiang province, an autonomous region in the far west of China, which borders Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It is China’s biggest natural gas producing region and has large oil reserves, making it one of the country’s most valuable and economically important areas. 

ETIM was established in 1993 but was dissolved the following year.  In 1997 the movement was reorganised by Hasan Mahsum and Abudukadir Yapuquan. ETIM’s headquarters was relocated to Kabul, sheltering under Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. There, ETIM leaders met with Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan to coordinate actions. The group was weakened after the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 and bombing of al- Qaeda bases, during which Hasan Mahsum was killed. Following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, ETIM regained strength and support from Islamists. 

ETIM is designated a terrorist organisation by the UN, US, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Its official name since 1990 is the Turkistan Islamic Movement, although it is still widely known internationally as ETIM.  The group is currently led by Memetiming Memeti, commonly known by his alias of Abdul Haq. MORE ONLINE