Qari Saifullah Akhtar

Qari Saifullah Akhtar () is an alleged member of Al-Qaeda currently in Pakistani custody. Akhtar, who is listed as a graduate of the Banuri mosque in Karachi, previously was the leader of Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI), a jihadi organization. When HUJI merged with Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM) around 1990 to form Harkat-ul-Ansar (HUA), Akhtar acted as deputy to former HUM leader and then amir Maulana Fazalur Rehman Khalil. HUA dissolved back into two separate groups in 1997, allowing Akhtar to become amir of HUJI., Asia Times, September 20, 2004 Since 1998 when Osama bin Laden released a fatwa under the banner World Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders, segments of HUJI have joined al-Qaeda. Reportedly Akhtar was running a training camp at Rishkhor, Afghanistan before the US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, and had trained 3,500 persons in conventional and unconventional combat. He disappeared from Afghanistan but was apprehended in August 2004 in the United Arab Emirates. He has since been handed over to Pakistan., CBS News, August 08, 2004

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court by Akhtar's brother-in-law, Abdur Rehman Mahmood, on October 12, 2004, challenging Akhtar's arrest and seeking his production in the court. The petitioner also sought a court order to prevent possible deportation of Akhtar to another country., Daily Times, October 14, 2004 The petition was thrown out on...
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