Incidents and Statments involving SIMI: 2017

Date

Nature of incident

January 5

India

Mumbai

A special MCOCA court issued a production warrant against IM 'co-founder' Yasin Bhatkal and six others in connection with the July 13, 2011 Mumbai triple blasts case. "The court issued a production warrant against Yasin Bhatkal, who is presently lodged in Cherlapally central prison in Hyderabad," an ATS official said. The official added that the court also issued warrants against three other accused lodged in the same jail. "Apart from them, production warrants were also issued for an accused lodged in Tihar jail in New Delhi and two others in Parappana Agrahara central jail in Bangalore," the official added. Special MCOCA judge V V Patil directed that all the seven accused be brought before him on January 27.

Indore/Madhya Pradesh

ATS from Mumbai detained a suspected SIMI operative from Khajrana area of Indore (Madhya Pradesh). The suspect identified as Jadil Parvez was held from Khijrabad Colony in the area where he had been living since the past 2-3 months, ATS sources claimed. Jadil, who hails from Unhel town of Ujjain District, had allegedly been living with his sister Heena.

SIMI 'chief' Safdar Nagori and other 10 members of his terrorist outfit were sentenced to life imprisonment in a 2008 case of sedition by a special CBI court in Indore in Madhya Pradesh. Special CBI judge B K Paloda convicted all 11 for sedition, collecting arms, ammunition and explosives with the intention to wage war against the nation and for being active members of a banned terrorist outfit. Nagori was the 'general secretary' of SIMI when it was banned. Besides 45-year-old Nagori, the others convicted are Hafiz Hussain (35), Aamil Parvaz (40), Shivli (38), Qamruddin (42), Shahduli (32), Qamran (40), Ansar (35), Ahmed Baig (32), Yasin (35) and Munroz (40).

"The judgment was delivered to 10 of the 11 accused through video-conferencing as they are lodged in Sabarmati jail in Ahmedabad where they are being tried for the Ahmedabad blasts (Gujarat, 2008)," public prosecutor Vimal Mishra said. Only one of the accused, dental student from Karnataka Munroz, was in the Indore court and his father wept upon hearing the verdict.

Armed with confessional statements of some of the witnesses, the NIA issued a second notice to Zakir Naik asking him to appear before it on March 30, 2017 in a case filed against him under an anti-terror law. An NIA spokesman said that nearly 60 persons had been examined by the probe agency so far which included some of family members of Naik, some of his business associates, some employees and staff of the IRF as well as Harmony Media Private Limited, founded by Naik.

"Some of the witnesses have given statements before the Magistrate, wherein they have stated as to how Dr Zakir Naik had promoted enmity and hatred among the people of different religious beliefs, through his public utterances, and how he had hurt the religious sentiments of followers of other sects or religions," the spokesman said.

The notice has been sent to the Mumbai residence of Naik, who is believed to be staying in Saudi Arabia to evade arrest after his activities came under scanner following accusations that he had inspired some of the terrorists who attacked a cafe in Dhaka last year.

ED attached his assets worth INR 18.37 crore in the form of mutual funds, properties and bank balance. ED and NIA sources claimed that if he ignores the summons, he stands the chance of being declared a proclaimed offender and a red corner notice would be issued against him through Interpol. Sources added that they are also in the process of finalising a chargesheet against him so that his extradition from Saudi Arabia could be initiated. ED said in a statement that Zakir Naik had been issued four summons by it but he has avoided all four of them.

IM wanted to carry out a big terror strike in Surat (Gujarat) in 2008 to avenge the killings of Muslims in 2002 Gujarat riots and the demolition of Babri Masjid, Police said. Sources in the Gujarat Crime Branch said IM 'India cheif' Yasin Bhatkal had travelled to Surat with a plan to plant 29 bombs on July 26, 2008, the day 20 blasts rocked Ahmedabad. During the second round of questioning on April 2, Bhatkal told that IM was planning to carry out bigger attacks in Gujarat after the July 2008 serial blasts. "Bhatkal had thought after carrying out serial blasts in Jaipur, Bangalore and Delhi, they would get away with Ahmedabad blasts too. But within a week of the attack, Gujarat police caught some of the key IM operatives," an official said.

Bhatkal, however, fled to Koppa in Karnataka with Abdul Subhan alias Taukeer, another IM operative. Police said they have records of chats between Bhatkal and Ashadullah Akhtar alias Haddi, the prime accused in the 2013 Dilsukhnagar blasts case of Hyderabad, which point to their deadly plans in Gujarat. Bhatkal, Haddi and three others have been sentenced to death by a special NIA court in the case.

As Zakir Naik, being probed under terrorism charges, defied the NIA summons once again, the agency has once again issued fresh summons asking him to appear before it on April 17. This is the third time in last one month NIA has issued notice to Naik but there is no sign of him willing to come to India and join the probe. Earlier, he was asked to join the probe on March 14 and then March 30.

Naik is on the run and is being probed by NIA for allegedly spreading communal hatred and inciting others through his speeches to commit terror acts. His now banned NGO IRF even allegedly funded few terror suspects. The agency has already questioned around 20 associates and employees of Naik in last few months about his business ventures, properties and funding from abroad. He had recently signalled his willingness to appear via video-conferencing, an option the NIA rejected.

Officials said that legal process calls for declaring him a proclaimed offender and then approach Interpol to issue a red corner notice against him and arrest him there. NIA has also identified 37 properties owned by him directly or indirectly. Sources said that many properties have suspicious ownership. An officer said there is enough evidence to make a strong case of illegal and unexplained flow of money to Naik's business ventures, particularly Harmony Media Pvt Ltd, in which he and his wife were directors till a few years back.

A trial court in the Dakshina Kannada District of Karnataka convicted three persons for supporting the early operations of IM, and acquitted four who were on the periphery of the group's support system in the state. Among the acquitted is Maulana Shabbir Gangolli alias Shabbir Bhatkal alias Hussain Shabbir Meheruddin Gangolli.

Three operatives of IM, who were convicted on charges of terrorism and manufacturing explosive devices on April 10, were, sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court in the coastal Karnataka region of Mangaluru. The third additional district and sessions judge at the trial court, S H Pushpanjali Devi, sentenced Sayyed Mohammed Naushad (33), Ahmed Bava (41), and Fakeer Ahmad Bava (44), all residents of the Dakshina Kannada on charges of terrorism, preparation of bombs and criminal conspiracy.

In what is deemed as the first step to bring back Zakir Naik from Saudi Arabia to India, the ED obtained a NBW against him from a PMLA court in Mumbai. Counsel for ED Hiten Venegaokar said, "Naik has failed to respond to the agency. He has till date not revealed his location and also not given his permanent address." The court has hence allowed the plea of the agency observing that there exists an extradition treaty between the UAE and India and he can be brought back. "Naik failed to appear before the IO and has given evasive replies. For thorough investigation in such offences, the presence of the accused is necessary," said special PMLA Judge PR Bhavake.

ED filed a charge sheet against Aamir Gazdar, a close aide of Zakir Naik, in a money laundering case before a court in Mumbai (Maharashtra). The agency had arrested Gazdar on February 16. The 250-page charge sheet contains statements of five persons including Gazdar himself, Zakir Naik's sister and an accountant of Naiks NGO, IRF, an ED official said.

IM India operations 'cheif' Yasin Bhatkal, had recruited 25 youths while on the run since 2010. Some of these youths had visited Bhatkal when he was hiding in Nepal, sources in the city crime branch said. Bhatkal had sneaked into Nepal through the Raxual border in Bihar and was staying in Nepal under the assumed name of Dr Yousuf. An officer claimed that during interrogation, Bhatkal had 'confessed' that he, along with Asadullah alias Haddi, had raised a network of 25 youths. "The youths had become regular visitors to Bhatkal's house in Nepal," the Police officer said. Police claimed Bhatkal used to change his mobile handset and sim cards often to avoid being detected. He had chatted with some of the IM fugitives such as Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal who are reportedly based in Pakistan.

Senior Police officers said they are still trying to unravel the IM module set up by Bhatkal. "We have a few inputs and are working with security agencies to track and nab some foot soldiers and sleeper cells of IM who were in touch with Bhatkal when he was absconding," a Police officer said. In 2013, Bhatkal was sentenced to death in the Dilsukhnagar blasts case of Hyderabad.

Surat District / Gujarat

Yasin Bhatkal, India 'operations chief' of IM, who is accused of carrying out a series of bomb blasts in Ahmedabad and for planting several bombs in Surat in 2008, registered his statement before a magistrate in closed door proceedings held in Surat District of Gujarat and sessions court. "Bhatkal wanted to give statement before the court hence we took him there. Further procedures were carried out in the courtroom and the police were not involved in them," city Police Commissioner Satish Sharma said. Sources said Bhatkal's statement was registered under section 164 of Criminal Procedure Code which allows an accused to register his statement or confession in the presence of a magistrate.

Kozhikode District/ Kerala

Suspected IM operative who was in run nine years Suhaib Potanical was arrested by Ahmedabad Crime Branch from Kerala. Crime Branch sources said Potanical is being brought to Ahmedabad as he is an absconder in July 2008 Ahmedabad serial blast case. Crime branch officials said Potanical as he was nick named because of expertise in handling chemical explosives was a key aide of IM 'India operations chief' Yasin Bhatkal.

India

IM's 'India operations chief' Mohammed Ahmed Siddibapa alias Yasin Bhatkal revealed to counter-terror investigators how he was trained in Karachi by Pakistan's ISI operatives in handling military-grade explosives like TNT, C3, C4 as well as ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate. The training subsequently helped him in acquiring expertise in IED bomb-making. Bhatkal, who was recently questioned in Ahmedabad after his arrest for alleged role in the July 2008 Ahmedabad blasts that killed 50 people, was arrested in August 2013. He was sentenced to death last December by a Hyderabad special court for his role in the February 2013 blasts there.

Ahmedabad / Gujarat

Suhaib Potanical, 49, a suspected IM operative, was arrested by Surat Police in Ahmedabad. He was lodged in jail after his arrested in May by Ahmedabad Police. Surat Police produced him in court and he was remanded to Police custody till June 15. Potanical is close associate of arrested 'IM India operations chief' Yasin Bhatkal, accused in both Ahmedabad bomb blasts and Surat bomb planting case. "We have been granted custody of Potanical till June 15 and he will not be brought to Surat. Police will question him in Ahmedabad and after questioning he will be produced in court and sent to jail," said Police. Considering the risk involved in transportation of the terror suspects Police have decided not to bring the accused to city for few days of questioning, sources informed.

One of the two Islamic State (IS) recruiters behind the online identity Yusuf-al-Hindi, could possibly have been Mohammad Sajid alias Bada Sajid, who hailed from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh and is believed by Indian agencies to have been killed in 2015 while fighting in Syria. This is what IS sympathiser Amzad Khan, who was deported to India from Saudi Arabia in April, has indicated to interrogators, while identifying a photograph of Yusuf-al-Hindi, sources said. Sajid was a member of IM before fleeing to Pakistan after a security crackdown in 2008, from where he and Karnataka-born Shafi Armar migrated to Afghanistan and Syria. Armar was recently designated as a 'global terrorist' by the US.

A video of the narco-analysis interrogation of former SIMI chief Safdar Nagori shows the former SIMI chief admitting on tape that the Samjhauta Express blast were carried out by those trained in Pakistan. He names SIMI operative Adbul Razzak as the person responsible for the explosions that killed 68 people on February 18, 2007. The video shows the interrogator asking him, "Who ordered the Samjhauta blasts?" Nagori answers, "Abdul Razzak did this. He is from Indore. He told me, 'You cannot do anything, you are a politician now.' He would say, 'You have retired from SIMI. They give you money and you keep eating and drinking.' He once told me, 'You have become a politician, you cannot do jihad, you need a quality life. I will do something or the other now.'"

When asked about Razzak's contacts in Pakistan, Nagori says, "He has relatives in Pakistan." Nagori adds, "Abdul Razzaq used to say he could do this on his own. He was in SIMI, he was with Misbah ul Islam Calcuttawala. Abdul Razzaq, he said he could do it on his own. He was SIMI incharge of Indore." In the video, Nagori admits he wanted to procure an imported Mauser gun. For this, Nagori says, he contacted Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operative Nasir and told him he needed it "to punish those culprits for a project". He adds, "When Nasir told us Mauser and AK47 can be procured, we decided that when we need to target someone and take no risk, we can use the 47. But we wanted to target individuals, and not the masses."

India

A Delhi court ordered framing of charges against IM India'operations chief' Yasin Bhatkal and nine others in the September 9, 2010 Jama Masjid blast case on the ground that prime facie there was enough evidence against them. Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma, however, discharged three alleged members -- Ismail Affaque, Abdus Saboor and Riyaz Ahmad Sayeedi -- of the outfit, saying there was not enough evidence against them. The three, who were today discharged, were later named in a supplementary charge sheet which accused them of having conspired with other IM members to carry out the terror strike in the national capital.

Three SIMI members were sentenced to life imprisonment by a Bhopal special court for attempted murder of a BJYM activist in Madhya Pradesh's Khandwa town in 2009. While BJYM president Pramod Tiwari had escaped unhurt, a BJYM activist, Dubey was critically injured in the attack that took place on the night of January 2, 2009. There were seven accused in the murder case, but four of them were killed in an alleged encounter near Bhopal in 2016. Besides Abu Faisal - who was the key conspirator in the attack and is facing trial in other terror-related cases - Abdullah Hussain and Raquib were sentenced to life imprisonment for attempt to murder Dubey. The trio were also sentenced to 10 years in jail for the attempt on Tiwari's life by Special Judge Girish Dixeet. Both the sentences will run concurrently.

A Delhi court put IM operative Yasin Bhatkal and eight others on trial in two cases relating to the 2010 Jama Masjid blast. Additional Sessions Judge Sidharth Sharma said there was enough evidence against them and framed the charges. The court issued production warrant against accused Azaz Saikh, who could not be produced from a Mumbai jail where he is lodged. Besides Bhatkal, those who were put on trial include Gauhar Aziz Khomani, Gayur Ahmad Jamali, Mohd Adil, Mohd Irshad Khan, Mohd Aftab Alam, Kamal, Assadullah Akhtar and Zia-ur-Rehman. Another accused Modh Qateel Siddiqui died during the pendency of the case, advocate M S Khan, who appeared for the accused, said. The Police had earlier filed charge sheet against eleven suspected IM members in connection with the blast case, alleging that they had carried out the strike to deter foreign nations from participating in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.

Kerala

NIA has shared details with UMHA of four terror probes where cadres of PFI and its political arm SDPI were chargesheeted or convicted under the UAPA. The four cases related to chopping of a professor's palm in Kerala's Idukki District; holding of a training camp in Kannur from where NIA allegedly seized swords, country-made bombs and ingredients for making IEDs; murder of RSS leader Rudresh in Bengaluru and the Islamic State- IS Al-Hindi module case in which attacks were plotted in south India.

Based on its probe findings, NIA has claimed that PFI pursues a strategy aimed at communalising Indian polity, enforcing Taliban brand of Islam, heightening existing social divisions and maintaining a trained bank of volunteers for physical actions. "PFI had consistently been indulging in actions detrimental to overall national security," NIA said while blaming the outfit for seeking to impose religious orthodoxy on Muslims and using sister outfits like Sathya Sarani based in Malappuram to carry out "forceful conversions", with the most recent cases being that of Akhila Asokan and Athira Nambiar in which PFI women's wing chief Sainaba A S name figures.

The dossier pointed out that many of PFI's founding leaders were associated with SIMI before it was banned. This includes former PFI chairman E M Abdurahiman, who was all-India general secretary of SIMI in 1980-81 and 1982-93, PFI national vice-chairman P Koya who was with SIMI in 1978-79 and SDPI president E Aboobacker who was Kerala state president of SIMI in 1982-84, among others.

Terror suspect Taufique Alam, who was wanted in connection with the 2008 serial bomb blasts in Ahmedabad District of Gujarat, was arrested by the ATS of Bihar Police from the Civil Lines Police Station area in Gaya District. Patna zone IG of Police, Nayyar Hasnain Khan said one of his associates, who had given shelter to Taufique at his residence in Civil Lines area, was also arrested. IG, Khan said Gujarat ATS has also been informed about Taufique's arrest. The Ahmedabad serial bomb blasts on July 27, 2008, had left 29 persons dead and 88 others injured.

Tauseef Pathan, a suspected IM operative and key conspirator of the Ahmedabad serial blasts, who was arrested from Gaya District by the Bihar ATS with Gulam Sarvar on September 14, had plans to devastate Bihar, stated the Police. While Gaya Police is in the process of lodging a complaint under sections of the UAPA it has come to light that Pathan and Sarvar of Gaya were conspiring launch targeted killings and also to trigger a blast at a temple in Gaya. "We have found some documents which reveal their plan to regroup as IM cadre," said a senior Gujarat ATS official. Some Gujarat ATS and crime branch officials are in Gaya to take custody of Pathan. They are expected to return once the FIR under sections of the UAPA is filed against the duo. Gujarat Police officials said that Sarvar had been on their radar since July 2010 when they arrested Hasib Raza of Azamgarh just days before the Jagannath Rath Yatra.

Bhopal / Madhya Pradesh

The 'chief' of the SIMI, Abu Faisal and Sarafat Ali, have been sentenced to three years imprisonment each by the CJM Court in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, in connection with the Khandwa jail break. A fine has also been imposed on both of them. The jailed duos have been named in the controversial Khandwa jail break of 2013. The SIMI is said to be involved in similar incident in 2016 where eight SIMI terrorists were killed in an encounter after escaping from the Bhopal Central Jail.

Karnataka

The ED said it has attached assets worth INR 5,00,000 in Karnataka in connection with a money laundering probe in a terror financing case involving IM. The central probe agency said the attachment, issued under the provisions of the PMLA, includes a residential property in Mangalore "belonging to the persons involved in terror financing" who were also "linked" to a Pakistani.

The ED said that a person named Dheeraj Sao got cash deposits in his bank accounts from various parts of the country for a commission. "After keeping his commission, he (Sao) used to transfer the remaining amounts to bank accounts of persons associated with terror outfit Indian Mujahideen such as Zubair Hussain, Aysha Banu, Raju Khan and others," it alleged.

The agency said it tracked the crime money and found that Banu and Hussain had acquired a residential property at Panjimogeru in Karnataka's Mangalore. "All the accused were linked to Pakistani national Khalid and as per his directions had opened accounts in various banks to receive money and transfer the same to members of terrorist outfit IM after deducting their commission...In all these accounts, mostly cash money had been deposited by unknown persons from various locations in India other than the home branch and the cash deposits were withdrawn immediately through ATMs and used for terror activities," the ED said.

Taloja jail / Raigad District/ Maharashtra

An IM undertrial, Naki Ahmed Wasi Ahmed Sheikh (28), who was arrested in connection with the Mumbai triple blasts on July 13, 2011, was injured in Taloja jail in Raigad District of Maharashtra after another inmate assaulted him with a tin sheet. The brawl between Sheikh and Amir Khan, another undertrial arrested in a murder case occurred in their barrack. "We have registered the case under Section 324 of the IPC for causing hurt by dangerous weapon, and will arrest Mr. Khan," SI Seema Mundhe said.

The Juvenile Justice Board that held an 18-year-old boy guilty of planting explosives at the Bodh Gaya temple complex in Bihar in 2013 has said the attack was to avenge the atrocities against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The juvenile placed a bomb under the 80-ft statue of Gautama Buddha at the revered temple complex as "Buddhists from all over the world used to come there and a message will be sent to all," an order of the juvenile court that convicted the boy of terrorist activities said. The board sentenced him to three years in a remand home on October 11.

Myanmar, a Buddhist country, has seen the exodus of thousands of Rohingya Muslims from the Rakhine province over the past several decades. Before this year's exodus, the mass migration intensified in 2012-13 when hundreds of Rohingya fled to neighbouring countries, including India. On July 7, 2013, the juvenile and other accused planted 13 bombs at the Maha Bodhi temple complex. Two monks were injured and three unexploded bombs were recovered. One of the accused, Haidar Ali, told the NIA that on the day of the blast, he along with the juvenile and others came from Ranchi and had 13 bombs with them. "Two accused - Mujibullah and Imtiyaz - got down at the monastery. The juvenile and another accused, Tarique Ansari, were directed to put the bomb under the 80-ft statue of Lord Buddha. Haidar Ali proceeded towards the Mahabodhi complex, changed to a monk's attire and first planted a bomb at Animesh Lochan temple, the second at Mahabodhi tree, the third under an ambulance and the fourth at a small temple. The bombs were timed to explode between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m.," the Board's order said. The accused, residents of Ranchi (Jharkhand) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh), came together to avenge the killings of Muslims in the 2002 Gujarat riots and were also affected by the civil war in Yemen.

Haidar Ali, who was associated with the banned SIMI), "drew a map of the temple and decided to plant the explosives early in the morning as Buddhists and local people would be present in large numbers to offer prayers," the order said. Ali was closely linked to the IM. "The Board's order was the first judgment in the Bodh Gaya and Patna blast cases. The case against the other accused is pending trial," an NIA official said.

Uttar Pradesh

The Azamgarh Police on November 27 opened history sheets of four alleged IM operatives under instructions of the Uttar Pradesh ATS. A senior ATS official said it was recently decided that history sheets of all terror suspects hailing from the State would be opened to record the cases lodged against them in Police stations of their native districts for surveillance purposes. The four fugitives - Abu Rashid alias Sheikh alias Danda, Dr Shahnawaz Alam, Mohammad Sajid alias Bada Sajid and Mohammad Rashid Sultan - belong to Sanjarpur village in Azamgarh District. Their history sheets were opened at Saraimeer Police station, confirmed IG, ATS, Asim Kumar Arun.

Uttar Pradesh

The ATS has prepared a list of 25 such suspects which include those who are absconding, in prison as well those acquitted in cases by a court. Shahnawaz and Sajid carry a bounty of INR10 lakh each on their heads, announced by the NIA. Station Officer of Saraimeer police station, Ram Naresh Yadav, said, "Abu Rashid's historysheet has been opened with number 70A, Shahnawaj's as 46A, Sajid's as 37A and Mohammad Rashid's as 26A. "These four historysheets were opened today on the basis of details provided by UP ATS." An ATS official said they are yet to acquire "concrete information" about the whereabouts of the four alleged IM men since after terror cases were lodged against them in different states. The official, however, claimed that the agency suspects the four are fighting for IS in Syria.

India

IM suspect Tauseef Pathan, an accused in July 2008 serial blast was planning to flee to Bangladesh, say investigators. Crime Branch officials claim that Pathan has a contact in Bangladesh and through his help he was to obtain shelter in that country. "We suspect that from Bangladesh, Pathan could have fled to Pakistan on a fake passport. We have the cell number of Pathan's contact in Bangladesh and will soon contact our counterparts there to track the helper," said a senior Crime Branch official. Crime branch investigators said Pathan's plan of fleeing to Bangladesh supports their suspicion that he was involved in a jailbreak conspiracy at Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad. "In February 2013, 24 alleged IM suspects accused in the serial blasts case had conspired to escape from Sabarmati jail. They had dug a 213-foot tunnel from the barrack to the end of the outer wall of the high security jail. However the attempt was foiled by jail authorities at the last moment," a senior Crime Branch official.

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh Police is clamping down on self-radicalised youth influenced by ideologies of groups such as IS, HUJI-B and SIMI in several districts. "We are keeping a close tab on self-radicalised youth and their activities. We have arrested about 18-20 people in recent months and some are under close watch. All these youth and their groups are influenced by the ideologies of terror outfits like IS, LeT, SIMI and HuJI of Bangladesh. Of late, Kerala-based PFI was on our radar and their monitoring has increased with their involvement in 'anti-national propaganda' on December 6. We're trying to assess the growth of such radicalised groups and their influence on youth and others in the state," said Anand Kumar, UP's ADG of Police (law and order). He added, "There are specific alerts and in recent times, nearly 14-15 terror modules have been busted." Some officials also gave vital leads to why UP Police are on their toes against terror groups operating from the state. "Starting from Azamgarh as the nerve centre for such terror ideologies threatening to influence minority-community youth to various pockets of western UP - Shamli, Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar, Aligarh and Moradabad - UP Police have zeroed-in on Bijnore for strong SIMI links with locals," a source in UP PHQ told this correspondent.