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Glite Dictionary
Islamic Group

Islamic Group

1 8.7
An armed organization from Egypt that uses violence for political and religious aims
  • proper noun
  • Offensive
translation icon : Grupo Islámico
  • The Armed Islamic Group refined the art of violence while paying lip service to an eclectic assortment of practices combining neo-fundamentalist Sunni and Shiite traditions.
  • the Armed Islamic Group

Examples

  • Then, in the summer of 1995, the Algerian Armed Islamic Group (better known by its French initials, GIA) planted bombs in the Paris subway to protest French support for the military regime in Algiers.

    Academic text (2006)

  • In contrast, the more radical Salafis, as represented by the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), drew a stark distinction between supporters and opponents of the jihad.

    Academic text (2001)

  • The papers claimed he had been killed at a false roadblock, and that the government has arrested several members of the GIA Armed Islamic Group.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Algeria had seen relatively little terrorism for decades, but returning mujahideen founded the Armed Islamic Group (known by its French initials, GIA).

    Academic text (2005)

  • A decade ago in France, the Algerian Armed Islamic Group proselytized beurs (the French-born children of North African immigrants) and turned them into the jihadists who terrorized train passengers during the 1990s.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The Islamic Group claimed responsibility for the recent terrorist attack in Cairo.

  • Security forces arrested several members of the Islamic Group during the raid.

  • The Islamic Group has been linked to various extremist activities across the region.

Synonyms

Islamic Jihad
vsIslamic Group
  • NSFW
6 9.9

A secret group in Egypt that used violence to try to create an Islamic state

is the same group described under a broader label
al-Jihad
vsIslamic Group
  • NSFW
9.9

An Islamic extremist group in Egypt that used violence to try to set up an Islamic state

is the same origin and purpose but often called by another short name
Egyptian Islamic Jihad
vsIslamic Group
  • NSFW
9.9

An Islamic group in Egypt that used violence to try to replace the government

is the same militant origin but described with focus on the replacement goal
al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya
vsIslamic Group
  • NSFW
9.9

A political group from Egypt with strict Islamic beliefs that uses violence

is similar but refers to a broader movement rather than just covert cells

Surface Forms

Islamic Group main

Morphology

Islamic + group

A B1 learner who knows 'Islamic' and 'group' can compose the basic meaning 'a group related to Islam', so the literal, compositional sense is clear. However, the capitalized proper name refers to a specific militant/terrorist organization and that encyclopedic, evaluative information (militancy, historical context) cannot be derived from the constituents alone, making the MWE only partially transparent.

Etymology

Islamic Group joins Islamic (about Islam) and Group (a set of people). In the 20th century some groups used this plain name for movements that wanted to change government with strict religious ideas, and when these groups used violence the name came to mean 'violent' or 'extremist' groups.