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Jalal Haqqani
Jalal Haqqani
Status: Alive
Nationality: Flag of Afghanistan Afghan
Profession: Taliban leader
Father: Haissam Haqqani (deceased)
Others: Aayan Ibrahim (cousin, deceased)
Played by: Elham Ehsas
Season(s): 8
First episode: "False Friends"
Last episode: "Designated Driver"

Jalal Haqqani (Persian: جلال حقانی) is the last living son of Haissam Haqqani. After the latter's death, he succeeds him as leader of the Taliban.

Biography[]

Saul is taken prisoner by Haqqani's henchmen who survived the ISI attack on their convoy and Haqqani is suspicious that Saul tipped the Pakistani government off to their meeting. As Saul sits on the grimy floor of Haqqani’s home jail cell, Haqqani becomes unsettled as he starts to consider his suggestion that someone inside his own cell tipped off the ISI about the meeting.

Jalal meets with Tasneem about how to move forward now that his dad is “dead.”  The latter summons Jalal to the hideout in Peshawar and things already don’t look good for Haqqani. He immediately lies straight to his father’s face about his involvement in this little plot but his father does not accept his son's lies. Haqqani hatches an entrapment scheme for Jalal: One of his minders goes to Jalal and tips him off that Saul Berenson is in the building, poisoning his father’s mind and convincing him to poke around about Jalal’s whereabouts of late. Jalal calls Tasneem, unaware that his father is listening in.

Saul’s pep talk seems to have worked, because Jalal is dragged out of bed by a gang of henchmen, tied to a pole, and made to confess at gunpoint.

Surrounded by war during his upbringing, Jalal is a firm believer in the Taliban's cause, and staunchly opposes his father's plans to broker peace with the U.S. After his father exiles him for conspiring with the ISI, Jalal is found and nursed back to health by ISI director-general Tasneem Qureshi.

When the elder Haqqani is wrongly sentenced to death for causing the helicopter crash that killed Presidents Warner and Daoud, Jalal takes Max Piotrowski as a hostage to negotiate his father's release. When his father is executed, Haqqani kills Max and takes control of the Taliban himself, falsely claiming credit for bringing down the helicopters and using his inflated credibility to significantly bolster the ranks of the Taliban - - one who happens to have rallied a terrifying amount of troops for his cause.

Tasneem attempts to persuade Jalal to go into hiding, but reverses course and decides to protect him after witnessing how large the Taliban has grown under his leadership. Jalal frequently clashes with Balach, one of his father's trusted lieutenants who advised him regarding peace in the region. He eventually punishes Balach by forcing him to carry out a suicide bombing at the Afghanistan-Pakistan border where a number of CIA operatives are being released from custody.

Tasneem gives Jalal a full-on dressing down, reminding him that just a few weeks ago she was picking him up from a roadside ditch after he was kicked out of his father's house. She offers him the chance to go underground in exchange for the ISI sparing his life but Jalal turns her down because he's an egomaniac on a power trip .

Character profile[]

Jalal Haqqani, a character in the highly acclaimed television series Homeland, is a fascinating and complex individual who embodies the concept of seeking to continue his father's legacy. With a ruthless and ambitious personality, Jalal is willing to go to great lengths to achieve his goals, making him a formidable adversary for the protagonist of the show. In this post, we will analyze and explore Jalal Haqqani's character through an analytical and theoretical approach, while maintaining a down-to-earth and easy-to-understand style.

From the moment Jalal is introduced, it becomes apparent that he is a key player in the intricate web of political power struggles and terrorism that Homeland is known for. As the son of Haissam Haqqani, a prominent Taliban leader, Jalal is driven to continue his father's legacy and maintain the extremist ideology they both share. This desire to uphold his father's beliefs is an essential aspect of his character and motivates his relentless pursuit of power and influence.

Jalal's personality is characterized by ruthlessness and ambition, which set him apart from other characters in the series. He is unafraid to use violence and manipulation to achieve his objectives, never hesitating to eliminate anyone standing in his way. This displays his loyalty to his cause and his unwavering commitment to realizing his father's vision for a world governed by extreme ideology.

In understanding Jalal Haqqani's character, it is essential to explore the psychological motivations behind his actions. Drawing upon psychological theories, we can analyze his behavior through the lens of self-actualization and the drive for power. According to Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, individuals strive to fulfill their basic physiological needs before progressing towards achieving self-actualization. However, in Jalal's case, his basic needs are intertwined with his ideological pursuit, blurring the lines between personal and ideological fulfillment.

Furthermore, looking at Jalal's character from a psychoanalytic perspective, we can draw parallels between his ambitions and the concept of the Oedipus complex. This theory, proposed by Sigmund Freud, suggests that individuals may have unconscious desires to replace their same-sex parent and possess the love and attention of their opposite-sex parent. In Jalal's case, he seeks to replace his father as the leader of the Haqqani Network, symbolizing his desire to overthrow his father and take control of the power and influence he previously held.

Jalal Haqqani's character also raises interesting questions about the nature of legacy and the extent to which individuals are driven by a desire to continue the work of their predecessors. He serves as a reminder that legacies can have both positive and negative effects, depending on the values and beliefs they encompass. In Jalal's case, his commitment to his father's extremist ideology is a chilling reminder of the ongoing threat of terrorism and radicalization.

Ultimately, Jalal Haqqani is a complex and enigmatic character in Homeland, driven by a fierce determination to continue his father's legacy and advance his extremist agenda. Through his ruthless and ambitious nature, he becomes a formidable opponent for the protagonists of the series.

Analyzing his character from various theoretical perspectives allows us to gain a deeper understanding of his motivations and the psychological forces that drive him.It is important to remember that while Jalal Haqqani is a fictional character, he is representative of real-world individuals who are willing to go to great lengths to pursue their goals and ideals. This portrayal serves as a thought-provoking commentary on the complexities of human ambition and the moral dilemmas that arise from it. As viewers, we are compelled to confront these issues and question the implications of our own actions in the pursuit of our goals.

In conclusion, Jalal Haqqani's character in Homeland is a riveting depiction of a person driven by a desire to continue his father's legacy, showcasing unwavering determination and ruthlessness. By delving into the psychological motivations behind his actions and exploring theoretical frameworks, we gain valuable insights into the complexities and nuances of his character. Homeland's portrayal of Jalal serves as a reminder of the dangers of extremism and raises thought-provoking questions about the nature of legacy and ambition. [x]

Review[]

The actor Elham Ehsas talks Jalal Haqqani -Nir Regev

Quotes[]

  • He's the youngest of my four sons, the only one who's still alive.
  • Yes, I know.
  • I was hoping for something more for him than war and death.
  • It's not too late.
  • Anybody else would be dead already.
  • Surely you can make an exception
  • for your own child.
  • Not without compromising my command.
  • No, the only other option is to step down.
  • Don't do that.

Trivia[]

His character is based on Jalaluddin Haqqani. A warlord and head of the Taliban in North Waziristan, Jalaluddin Haqqani is believed to be the architect of the Taliban's current attacks on U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan and he's credited with introducing a new tactic -- suicide bombing.

Haqqani has had a long history with Saudi, American and Pakistani intelligence agencies. During the Afghan jihad against the Soviets, he was one of the favored commanders and received millions of dollars from the West and Saudis, as well as Stinger missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, explosives and tanks. He became close to Osama bin Laden during the jihad and after the Taliban took control, he served as minister of tribal affairs in its government. He has worked with Pakistani intelligence for more than 20 years; the U.S. has repeatedly asked Pakistan to capture or kill him.

The Haqqani Network is real.

The Haqqani Network is a Sunni Islamist militant organization founded by Jalaluddin Haqqani, who emerged as a top Afghan warlord and insurgent commander during the anti-Soviet war; he was a member of the Hezb-e Islami faction led by renowned mujahedin commander Younis Khalis. Jalaluddin later allied with the Afghan Taliban as that group’s Minister of Tribal and Border Affairs when the Taliban held power in Afghanistan during the mid-to-late 1990s. He was a known associate of Usama Bin Ladin and was recognized as one of Bin Ladin’s closest mentors during the al-Qa‘ida founder’s formative years in the 1980s Afghan war. Sirajuddin Haqqani, Jalaluddin’s son, currently leads the day-to-day activities of the group, along with several of his closest relatives. Sirajuddin in August 2015 was named as a deputy to newly appointed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammed Mansur—cementing the alliance between the Haqqanis and the Taliban.

The Haqqani Network is primarily based in North Waziristan, Pakistan, and conducts cross-border operations into eastern Afghanistan and Kabul. The group is primarily composed of members of the Zadran tribe. The Haqqanis are considered the most lethal and sophisticated insurgent group targeting US, Coalition, and Afghan forces in Afghanistan; they typically conduct coordinated small-arms assaults coupled with rocket attacks, IEDs, suicide attacks, and attacks using bomb-laden vehicles.

The Haqqani Network is responsible for some of the highest-profile attacks of the Afghan war, including the June 2011 assault on the Kabul Intercontinental Hotel, conducted jointly with the Afghan Taliban, and two major suicide bombings—in 2008 and 2009—against the Indian Embassy in Kabul. In September 2011, the Haqqanis participated in a day-long assault against major targets in Kabul, including the US Embassy, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters, the Afghan Presidential Palace, and the Afghan National Directorate of Security headquarters. More recently, in October 2013, Afghan security forces intercepted a truck bomb deployed by the Haqqanis against Forward Operating Base Goode in Paktiya Province. The device, which did not detonate, contained some 61,500 pounds of explosives and was the largest truck bomb ever built. The group is also involved in a number of criminal activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and smuggling.

The US Government in 2012 designated the Haqqani Network as a Foreign Terrorist Organization because of its involvement in the Afghan insurgency, attacks on US military and civilian personnel and Western interests in Afghanistan, and because of its ties to the Taliban and al-Qa‘ida. In addition to designating the group, key members have also been individually designated. Haqqani leaders Saidullah Jan, Yahya Haqqani, and Muhammad Omar Zadran, as well as suicide operations chief Qari Abdul Ra‘uf (also known as Qari Zakir), and Ibrahim Haqqani, remain either designated for financial sanctions or are on US most-wanted lists.

Behind the Scenes[]

Appearances[]

Season 8
"Deception Indicated" "Catch and Release" False Friends "Chalk One Up" "Chalk Two Down"
"Two Minutes" F**ker Shot Me Threnody(s) In Full Flight Designated Driver
"The English Teacher" "Prisoners of War"
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