People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (
PAGAD) was formed in
1996 as a community anticrime group fighting
drugs and violence in the
Cape Flats section of
Cape Town,
South Africa, but by early
1998 had also become antigovernment and anti-Western. PAGAD and its
Islamic ally
Qibla view the South African Government as a threat to Islamic values and consequently promote greater political voice for South African Muslims. The group is led by
Abdus Salaam Ebrahim[?]. PAGAD's G-Force (Gun Force) operates in small cells and is believed responsible for carrying out acts of
terrorism. PAGAD uses several front names, including Muslims Against Global Oppression (MAGO) and Muslims Against Illegitimate Leaders (MAIL), when launching anti-Western protests and campaigns.
PAGAD is suspected of conducting recurring bouts of urban terrorism -- particularly bomb sprees -- in Cape Town since 1998, including nine bombings in
2000. Bombing targets have included South African authorities, moderate Muslims,
synagogues,
gay nightclubs[?], tourist attractions, and Western-associated restaurants. PAGAD is believed to have masterminded the bombing on
25 August 1998 of the Cape Town
Planet Hollywood[?].
PAGAD is estimated at several hundred members, though its G-Force probably contains fewer than 50 members. It operates mainly in the Cape Town area, South Africa's foremost tourist venue. PAGAD is suspected of having ties to Islamic fundamentalist groups in the Middle East.