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The Kurdistan Islamic Group (KIK) is a right-wing Islamist party that split from the Islamic Movement of Kurdistan (a small Islamic party founded in 1979) in 2001. The KIK espouses a big tent approach to Islamist politics, claiming to seek fraternity with Islamic groups and parties of various shades and beliefs. It runs as an opposition group in the region. The KIK’s doctrine is based on Salafi Islam which is often accused of being supported by Saudi Arabia. In July of 2003, the party’s founder and leader Ali Babir was arrested after he was accused of planning attacks against the U.S.-led coalition forces, but he was released in December of the same year.