SIMI active despite ban

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In spite of a ban on its activities, the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is actively present in the state.

Sources in the Police Department admit that a well-coordinated effort to regroup SIMI activists in the state is going on. They are also learnt to be publishing a periodical to propagate fundamentalist ideologies, besides organising secret meetings.

Following the ban imposed by the Centre a couple of years ago, the SIMI activists split into groups. They are now working under the banner of various other organisations. A group is also operating under the banner of National Development Front, police sources said.

The state intelligence wing also suspects that a Thiruvananthapuram native is playing a key role in reuniting SIMI activists.

It is suspected that “study camps” targeting youths, including college students, are being organised to propagate SIMI ideologies.

Such incidents had reportedly taken place in central and northern parts of the state. Strong fundamentalist messages are being shared at these meetings which also chalk out plans to woo more supporters. The presence of a women’s wing of SIMI in the state is also suspected, police sources said.

The Centre had banned SIMI on charges of supporting terrorist activities and carrying out anti-national propagandas.

The state had strongly favoured the ban during a recent sitting of a tribunal appointed by the Centre to look into the issue. Various Muslim outfits had also strongly opposed SIMI during the sitting.

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