The intelligence machineries were alerted soon after the Akola police arrested former members of the banned Students Islamic Movement of
India (SIMI) from Murtizapur on Sunday.
The four accused Masood Khan, Abdul Razzaque, Sayyed Ibrahim and Mohammed Rafique were returning from a Madrassa in Mana village where they were attending a religious gathering under the banner of Wahadat-e-Islami, an outfit which was so far not on the radar of the intel networks
. Police said that it was possession of incriminating literature that nailed the foursome when their car was checked on National Highway No. 6.
Sources in the police department said that a document found in possession of the four persons mentioned regrouping of former members on a common platform and seeking assistance from other national and international outfits.
The former SIMI members, especially the top cadres in the intelligence dossier, were also kept under watch in different parts of the state, including Khamgaon, Hingoli, Aurangabad and the city. Top former SIMI cadres, especially Waquar-Ul-Hassan and Asfaque Quereshi who was recently acquitted by a local court, were kept under watch in Akola which is considered as a strong base of the banned outfit.
Masood Khan, one of the arrested persons who was attached to a vernacular newspaper, was residing at Mumbra in the Mumbai suburbs before shifting to Aurangabad which has a strong SIMI influence due to the presence of dedicated former cadres like Ziauddin Siddiqui. Following Khan's arrest, cops were alerted in Aurangabad as well. Dr Abrar Arif, son-in-law of Siddiqui, is believed to be now staying in Aurangabad.
After surrendering in a city court in January 2008, Dr Abrar was leading the Bihar wing of the outfit till he went underground after the organisation was banned.
TOI has learnt that Khan, whose record could not be traced, was held with his partner in real estate, Abdul Razzaque, who has four offences in connection with his activities with the banned organisation.
Sources in the intelligence network pointed out that Razzaque, who had claimed to have distanced himself from SIMI in 1999, worked as an egg merchant and also had a part time real estate business at Jalna. Police also took Sayyed Ibrahim into custody but he claimed innocence during interrogation. Police said that Ibrahim had asked for a lift till Darwha in Yavatmal in a car which was probably heading to Aurangabad when the vehicle was intercepted.
Sources said that Mohammed Rafique was one of the sole organisers of the religious seminars where they had invited Islamic scholars and religious heads. "All the revered religious preachers may not have any reason to be dragged into this controversy but it seems that a section of people are taking advantage to assemble followers from their sect so that they can propagate their hidden agendas," said a senior officer told TOI from Akola.
The latest arrests revived the SIMI threat in the state and also validated the claim of the intelligence security networks that the formers members of the banned outfit may try to regroup in the state under a new banner. Sources in the intelligence department said that quite a few SIMI members were attending religious seminars but only a handful were caught.
The arrests revived the SIMI threat in the state and validated the claim of the intelligence security networks that ex-members of the banned outfit may try to regroup in the state under a new banner. Sources in the intelligence department said that quite a few SIMI members were attending religious seminars but only a handful were caught.
India (SIMI) from Murtizapur on Sunday.
The four accused Masood Khan, Abdul Razzaque, Sayyed Ibrahim and Mohammed Rafique were returning from a Madrassa in Mana village where they were attending a religious gathering under the banner of Wahadat-e-Islami, an outfit which was so far not on the radar of the intel networks
. Police said that it was possession of incriminating literature that nailed the foursome when their car was checked on National Highway No. 6.
Sources in the police department said that a document found in possession of the four persons mentioned regrouping of former members on a common platform and seeking assistance from other national and international outfits.
The former SIMI members, especially the top cadres in the intelligence dossier, were also kept under watch in different parts of the state, including Khamgaon, Hingoli, Aurangabad and the city. Top former SIMI cadres, especially Waquar-Ul-Hassan and Asfaque Quereshi who was recently acquitted by a local court, were kept under watch in Akola which is considered as a strong base of the banned outfit.
Masood Khan, one of the arrested persons who was attached to a vernacular newspaper, was residing at Mumbra in the Mumbai suburbs before shifting to Aurangabad which has a strong SIMI influence due to the presence of dedicated former cadres like Ziauddin Siddiqui. Following Khan's arrest, cops were alerted in Aurangabad as well. Dr Abrar Arif, son-in-law of Siddiqui, is believed to be now staying in Aurangabad.
After surrendering in a city court in January 2008, Dr Abrar was leading the Bihar wing of the outfit till he went underground after the organisation was banned.
TOI has learnt that Khan, whose record could not be traced, was held with his partner in real estate, Abdul Razzaque, who has four offences in connection with his activities with the banned organisation.
Sources in the intelligence network pointed out that Razzaque, who had claimed to have distanced himself from SIMI in 1999, worked as an egg merchant and also had a part time real estate business at Jalna. Police also took Sayyed Ibrahim into custody but he claimed innocence during interrogation. Police said that Ibrahim had asked for a lift till Darwha in Yavatmal in a car which was probably heading to Aurangabad when the vehicle was intercepted.
Sources said that Mohammed Rafique was one of the sole organisers of the religious seminars where they had invited Islamic scholars and religious heads. "All the revered religious preachers may not have any reason to be dragged into this controversy but it seems that a section of people are taking advantage to assemble followers from their sect so that they can propagate their hidden agendas," said a senior officer told TOI from Akola.
The latest arrests revived the SIMI threat in the state and also validated the claim of the intelligence security networks that the formers members of the banned outfit may try to regroup in the state under a new banner. Sources in the intelligence department said that quite a few SIMI members were attending religious seminars but only a handful were caught.
The arrests revived the SIMI threat in the state and validated the claim of the intelligence security networks that ex-members of the banned outfit may try to regroup in the state under a new banner. Sources in the intelligence department said that quite a few SIMI members were attending religious seminars but only a handful were caught.
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