Islamic State of Africa’s terror links cause outrage

A controversial Durban businessman with alleged ties to terrorism is attempting to enter South Africa’s political arena by registering a new political party under the name “Islamic State of Africa” (ISA), sparking public concern.

Farhad Hoomer has come before the South African courts on terrorism-related allegations and has been sanctioned by the United States for alleged links to recruitment, kidnapping, extortion, and robberies committed to assist terrorist organisations financially.

He has submitted an application to the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) to register the party. The deadline for public objections closed this week, and the IEC is expected to make a pronouncement in due course.

Though Hoomer hasn’t been convicted of any crime, he has been accused of leading an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) cell in Durban, facilitating terror-related activities across southern Africa, and operating businesses allegedly used to fund terror operations. He was sanctioned by the US Department of the Treasury in 2022 as a specially designated global terrorist and later, a few of his businesses were added to the US Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals list.

In a recent interview with News24, Hoomer denied all allegations, insisted on his innocence, and revealed that the ISA party sought to introduce Sharia law in South Africa. The party’s logo shows an upward-pointing hand with the words, “Free All Of Mankind”.

IEC spokesperson David Mandaha confirmed that the application was submitted on 5 May, and acknowledged that there had been “many objections from the public regarding the application”.

“There is no further comment at this stage,” Mandaha said, “as the application is still going through the registration process.”

Security experts, political analysts, and religious leaders have expressed concern about Hoomer’s political ambitions, citing his track record and the potential threat posed by legitimising extremist ideologies within South Africa’s democratic framework.

Political Studies professor Hussein Solomon, told the SA Jewish Report that the name “Islamic State of Africa” alone conjured up associations with ISIS, and said Hoomer’s alleged actions warranted scrutiny.

“Here we have an alleged designated terror financier trying to establish a political party under a name associated with a globally recognised terror organisation,” Solomon said. “He was caught with ammunition and weapons in a warehouse, but escaped prosecution due to procedural errors by authorities. There was also kidnapping for ransom, extortion of businesses, and an attack on a Shia mosque, all linked to him, yet the state didn’t press charges.”

Solomon questioned how a man who openly denies that he believes in democracy could be allowed to participate in it. “There’s a strong case for it not to be allowed,” he said. “I notice he wants Sharia law, but the Muslim population’s percentage [in South Africa] is so small, and even among it, as you know, there are divisions, so what does he hope to accomplish?”

Solomon warned that the registration of such a party could further damage South Africa’s international standing, already under scrutiny over allegations of support for terror-linked entities and failure to act decisively against extremists.

Steve Swart, a member of Parliament for the African Christian Democratic Party, confirmed that his party had lodged a formal objection to the IEC against the registration of the party.

“While we stand for freedom of religion, the specific choice of this name could indicate affiliation with Islamic State and its affiliates. Islamic State is designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations and many countries around the world,” Swart told the SA Jewish Report.

He said the party’s name and potential associations violate section 16(1)(c) of the Electoral Commission Act, which prohibits the registration of parties that propagate violence or hatred, or that cause serious offence to sections of the population on grounds of religion or belief.

“We understand that the IEC has never received so many objections to the registration of a political party before. We trust that these objections will result in the application being refused,” Swart said.

Professor Karen Milner, the national chairperson of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, said, “The similarity of this name to that of ISIS is concerning. We trust that the IEC wouldn’t allow a party to register whose manifesto or aims fall foul of our Constitution.”

Security expert Ryan Cummings, the director of Signal Risk, said the attempt to legitimise a political entity linked to a sanctioned individual highlights the difficult balance between freedom of political participation and the need to safeguard democracy.

“It’s cause for concern when someone who has been sanctioned by the US Treasury for terrorist activity and who may conform to fundamentalist ideology seeks to participate in South Africa’s secular democracy. But I imagine our Bill of Rights offers him some protection,” Cummings said.

He noted that South Africa has a history of including individuals with questionable backgrounds in its political structures. “As Hoomer hasn’t been convicted, there shouldn’t be any legal restrictions on his political career based solely on ideology,” he said.

Hoomer’s history includes a string of troubling allegations. Between 2017 and 2018, he allegedly led a Durban-based ISIS cell that provided financial and material support to ISIS affiliates in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The group allegedly funded its operations through kidnapping and the extortion of local businesses, generating more than R1 million in revenue.

In October 2018, Hoomer and several of his associates were arrested in connection with the deadly attack on the Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam, KwaZulu-Natal, and a series of attempted bombings in Durban. The case was later struck from the court roll in July 2020 due to the state being unprepared to proceed.

Analysts have pointed to cases like Hoomer’s, in which serious allegations weren’t followed by convictions, as examples of systemic failure that contributed to South Africa’s greylisting by the Financial Action Task Force in February 2023.

The IEC clarified this week that previous criminal charges or international sanctions don’t automatically disqualify an individual from registering a political party or running for office.