Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - Definition and Overview

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) is a movement to overthrow the government of Uzbekistan and replace it with a theocracy. This movement is now an arm of the Islamic Movement of Central Asia.

Tohir Yuldashev heads the organization. Juma Khodjiev (aka Juma Namangani) headed the military wing until he was killed while fighting with the Taliban.

In 1998, Uzbek President Islam Karimov vowed to clamp down on the organization and its ilk. Yuldashev and Khodjiev had been sentenced to death in absentia, while the other members were given prison sentences.

The group was attributed to an incident when a string of six bombs went off in Tashkent in February 1999 killing 16 people. In August of the same year, the group held a Japanese man hostage until a ransom was paid to let him go.

After September 11, 2001, the United States froze assets owned by the group.

See Also: Islamic Terrorism