Opinion | Terrorism Rebranded: How Groups Like LeT and JeM Are Morphing Into ‘Social’ Organizations

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India launched precision retaliatory strikes targeting terror launchpads and infrastructure in Pakistan. The swift response underscored New Delhi’s commitment to an assertive counter-terror policy and further highlighted the regional consequences of allowing rebranded terror entities to operate unchecked.

The face of terrorism in South Asia, particularly stemming from Pakistan, has undergone a calculated makeover in recent years. While traditional outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) continue to remain on international watchlists for orchestrating deadly attacks across the region, their visible footprints are becoming more elusive. The reason lies in an alarming trend—these banned organizations are rebranding themselves under humanitarian, educational, and social welfare fronts to escape global scrutiny.

This strategy of “soft camouflage” allows them to continue recruitment, fundraising, and indoctrination while maintaining plausible deniability under the guise of charitable or community work. From operating madrassas and orphanages to running disaster relief campaigns and educational trusts, terror outfits have found a new cloak that blends more easily into civil society.

Post-9/11, international pressure—especially from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF)—forced Pakistan to adopt a more covert approach in supporting its so-called ‘strategic assets.’ Outfits like LeT, facing growing condemnation after attacks like 26/11 in Mumbai, re-emerged with new names and public-facing projects.

Take the example of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD)—a front of LeT—which began positioning itself as a charitable organization involved in flood relief and education. It ran an extensive network of schools, hospitals, and ambulance services across Pakistan. However, intelligence agencies and watchdogs across the world have repeatedly exposed how these institutions double as recruitment and indoctrination hubs for jihadist activity.

Similarly, Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF), another avatar of LeT, presented itself as a disaster relief NGO. Despite the humanitarian label, the United States and the United Nations designated it as a terror organization, citing its continued role in fundraising and logistical support for militant operations.

Jaish-e-Mohammed, which was responsible for several high-profile attacks including the Pulwama suicide bombing in 2019, also adopted a similar playbook. According to investigative reports, several JeM operatives have found refuge in religious seminaries or “darsgahs” (Islamic learning centers) across Pakistan, where ideological training is subtly imparted under the veneer of religious education.

These centers rarely come under the radar of law enforcement unless a major incident forces scrutiny. This compartmentalization between militant and non-militant wings gives these organizations the ability to deny involvement in violent activities while continuing their broader ideological mission.

The Pahalgam Attack and TRF: Rebranding with Regional Impact

The rebranding game took another dark turn when a gruesome attack on a tourists in Pahalgam,left several civilians dead and injured. The assault was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF)—a relatively new outfit but widely acknowledged by security experts as a shadow group of Lashkar-e-Taiba. TRF emerged in 2019, just months after the abrogation of Article 370, and quickly gained notoriety for its precision strikes and sophisticated digital propaganda.

What makes TRF particularly dangerous is its ability to blur lines between insurgency and terrorism. By branding itself as a local resistance movement, it attempts to mask its foreign sponsorship and terror lineage. Indian intelligence agencies, however, have exposed how TRF operatives receive logistical support and directives from handlers based in Pakistan.

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India launched precision retaliatory strikes targeting terror launchpads and infrastructure in Pakistan. The swift response underscored New Delhi’s commitment to an assertive counter-terror policy and further highlighted the regional consequences of allowing rebranded terror entities to operate unchecked.

Despite temporary relief from the FATF grey list in 2022, Pakistan continues to be under close observation. One of FATF’s key requirements is to crack down on terror financing. However, as long as these organizations are allowed to function under the pretense of social work, meaningful compliance remains questionable.

For instance, many so-called “trusts” or NGOs linked to banned outfits continue to receive funding through informal channels like hawala networks or overseas donors. These funds are then diverted to sustain sleeper cells, support training camps, or arm militant operatives.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has, on multiple occasions, highlighted the dual nature of such organizations. Yet, geopolitical compulsions and diplomatic shielding often allow them to escape full accountability.

The global community, while vocally opposing terrorism, often exhibits a fragmented approach when it comes to enforcing sanctions or diplomatic pressure.Powerful allies have occasionally turned a blind eye, citing strategic interests in the region. This selective attention emboldens terror sponsors to play the long game—shifting labels, changing logos, but continuing the same lethal agenda.

Moreover, the digital age has provided these groups with new tools of communication and influence. Encrypted platforms, decentralized social media channels, and donation drives disguised as humanitarian causes have made it harder to distinguish between genuine relief efforts and covert militancy.

India has taken several steps to expose and counter this threat. Besides diplomatic outreach and intelligence-sharing with global partners, New Delhi has increased oversight over NGOs and religious trusts operating in sensitive areas. The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) now empowers agencies to freeze assets and ban organizations that operate as covert arms of banned groups.

Equally important is the role of civil society and media in debunking the narratives propagated by such groups. When a terrorist presents himself as a social worker or an educationalist, it is investigative journalism and public vigilance that can pierce through the façade.

The modern face of terrorism is no longer limited to masked men with guns. Today, it hides behind syllabuses, relief trucks, orphan care, and educational banners. Groups like LeT and JeM may change their names and narratives, but their ideological core remains violently unchanged.

Unless there is sustained international cooperation and political will to unmask and dismantle these rebranded entities, the threat will persist—not just for India, but for the entire region.

About the Author:

Syed Jahanzeeb is a conflict analyst and commentator specializing in South Asian security affairs. With a keen focus on the intersection of terror financing, propaganda, and regional diplomacy, his work explores the deeper structures sustaining militancy in the region.He is a regular contributor to strategic policy forums and holds a background in international relations. He can be reached at syedjahanzeeb2@gmail.com.