2 SIMI activists held

Hyderabad: Two activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which was allegedly involved in several bomb blasts and other terror attacks in Gujarat and other parts of the country, were arrested by the Gopalpuram police on Wednesday.

Police, acting on a tip-off, arrested the two SIMI activists who have been identified as Shah Mudassir alias Talha, 25 and Shoeb Ahmed Khan alias Pusad Shoeb alias Tariq Bhai, 24, both native of Maharashtra, and sent them to judicial custody.

Police have recovered literature on explosive formula, pen drive containing Jihadi literature, three cell phones, PAN card, voter ID cards, ATM cards, learner license, passports and a cash of Rs 22,430 from their possession.

“The two SIMI activists are adept in using social networking in propagating Jihad. They have several Facebook accounts and came in contact with activists, Abu Saif and Kamaran Sha from Pakistan and Zahid Al Hindi from Afghanistan.

Kamaran shared literature through Facebook on explosives wherein three methods of explosive manufacturing from the locally and easily available chemicals were explained. In the said literature, Kamaran motivated Zahid and one Mothasim Billah of Hyderabad to manufacture bombs and take out blasts in Maharashtra and he would feel happy to see the news of trigger bomb blast in India,” DCP (North) R Jayalaxmi said.

Mudassir and Shoeb came to Hyderabad on Wednesday and got down at Secunderabad. As their movements were suspicious, they were taken into custody, the DCP added.

A case has been registered under Sections 121, 121 A, 153 A of the IPC and Section 10 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and 66 of IT Act.