In a significant security development, Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered a new covert front being set up by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) a dedicated women’s wing named Jamaat al-Mu’minaat, or “Community of Believing Women.”
According to top intelligence sources quoted in a CNN-News18 report, the new initiative is part of JeM’s post-2024 operational overhaul, which places increased emphasis on digital outreach, psychological warfare, and grassroots recruitment.
This latest move is being seen as a strategic shift in the group’s tactics, targeting educated, urban Muslim women in Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and southern India.
Religious Cover, Encrypted Communication
The Jamaat al-Mu’minaat project is reportedly operating through encrypted online communication platforms and religious outreach networks, masked in the language of Islamic reform and spiritual revival.
Pamphlets and circulars distributed by the group some adorned with Quranic verses and images of Makkah and Madina portray the initiative as a women-led religious awakening.
“This subtle propaganda, characterised by moral purification and devotional rhetoric, is engineered to appeal to women seeking deeper spiritual meaning,” an intelligence officer told the outlet.
Two-Phase Indoctrination Strategy
Intelligence reports indicate that the indoctrination process follows a two-phase model. The first stage involves spiritual grooming and moral conditioning through religious content. In the second stage, recruits are gradually introduced to JeM’s ideological and jihadist narratives.
Intercepts of internal communication suggest that the women’s wing operates through cell-based vertical structures, similar to JeM’s existing frameworks, enabling stealth operations and minimising exposure.
Operational Roles: Fundraising, Messaging, Psychological Warfare
As per reports, the sources say the recruits are being trained not for frontline combat but for recruitment, digital messaging, fund collection, and logistical support roles. These activities are deliberately kept low-profile to evade surveillance.
“Women are being used as digital foot soldiers. They lead information warfare online, conduct dawa (preaching), spread misinformation, and facilitate financing — all under religious pretenses,” said a senior intelligence official.
JeM’s strategy mirrors similar global jihadist trends where female operatives are used to create ideological legitimacy and act as multipliers within closed online communities.
Religious Gatherings as Fund Transfer Hubs
Agencies have flagged the use of religious gatherings and NGO networks to channel funds under the guise of community reform or religious donation.
A recent pamphlet circulated by Jamaat al-Mu’minaat reportedly references 13th Rabi-ul-Thani (October 8, 2025) as a date for a “spiritual obligation” gathering.
Such events are suspected to act as cover for hawala transactions and donation-based funding, routed through Pakistan’s madrasa networks and religious organisations.
Influence from Existing Radical Networks
Security officials noted that the language, design, and structure of Jamaat al-Mu’minaat’s material bear strong resemblance to that of Al-Muhajirat JeM’s previous women’s cadre effort and literature from Markaz Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur, a well-known JeM hub.
Sources say this is indicative of a strategic continuity, not an isolated experiment. The women’s wing is being embedded into JeM’s larger post-revamp narrative, which now relies heavily on social media ecosystems and madrasa circuits in Pakistan’s Punjab province and Kashmir region.
Security Concern and Policy Implication
Officials have described this development as a “new frontier in radicalisation,” combining spiritual language, gender-focused narratives, and digital stealth to radicalise and mobilise without raising alarms.
“This isn’t just about recruitment. It’s a sophisticated psychological operation that uses women to sanitise extremist messaging and push it into mainstream spiritual discourse,” said one intelligence source.
Security agencies are monitoring digital spaces and outreach programs linked to the group, while also examining potential financial trails stemming from recent gatherings and online appeals.
Jamaat al-Mu’minaat at a glance
Jamaat al-Mu’minaat is a women-centric offshoot affiliated with the Pakistan-based terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The group primarily targets urban, educated Muslim women across Jammu & Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of South India.
Operating under the guise of religious outreach and spiritual education, Jamaat al-Mu’minaat employs tactics such as spiritual indoctrination, the use of encrypted communication channels, and systematic religious propagation to build influence and operational networks.
Women recruited into the group take on roles that range from recruitment and fundraising to information operations and courier activities. Funding is allegedly routed through madrasa networks and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that act as fronts for hawala transactions.
The group has historical ties to Al-Muhajirat, JeM’s earlier women’s wing, and maintains close operational links with Markaz Usman-o-Ali, a known JeM support hub.
As India’s security agencies scramble to counter this evolving threat, Jamaat al-Mu’minaat stands as a chilling reminder: in modern terrorism, the battleground is often unseen and the weapons are often words.