South African businessman Farhad Hoomer, previously accused of leading an ISIS-linked terror cell, has applied to register a political party named Islamic State of Africa, sparking widespread concerns over extremist affiliations.
Hoomer told state-run South African Broadcasting Corporation on Tuesday that he had applied to the country’s electoral commission to register his party, which will push for the introduction of Sharia law in South Africa.
He defended the proposed name of the party, saying he wanted to make it clear from the onset what the values of the proposed organisation would be.
“I wanted to make it clear from day one that we want Sharia law because there is too much of injustice in the world.”
He argued that Sharia law is the solution to South Africa’s challenges, advocating for strict social governance, including the return of the death penalty.
“So, we want to make it very clear that we want Sharia law because Sharia law is here to free all of mankind.”
Hoomer’s attempt to enter South Africa’s political sphere has raised red flags, particularly due to his alleged ISIS ties and outspoken rejection of democracy, which he has previously called “evil, tyranny and enslavement.”
The application for party registration comes amid growing scrutiny of Hoomer’s past, including terror-related arrests, US sanctions and allegations of funding jihadist movements in Africa.
Hoomer was arrested in October 2018 alongside 17 others for their alleged involvement in a fatal attack on the Shi’a Imam Hussain Mosque in Verulam and attempted bombings near commercial buildings in Durban.
In 2021, he was again detained after police found weapons, ammunition, and surveillance equipment in a warehouse, but both cases were dropped due to procedural issues.
The US Treasury Department sanctioned Hoomer in 2022, accusing him of heading an ISIS cell in Durban that helped fund operatives in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of Congo through kidnapping and extortion, allegedly raising $60,000 for jihadist activities.
Despite the controversy, Hoomer insists he is not a terrorist and has never been convicted of terror-related charges.
Authorities are yet to comment on whether his registration will be approved.
JN/APA