SIMI state president Mohd Aamir surrenders.
In a controversial move, a SIMI ‘friend’ is appointed head of a top seminary.
Now, members of a particular persuasion take over mosques.
ARE THE above incidents, which took place one after another, mere coincidence? Certainly not, at least, the intelligence agencies feel so. Instead, the developments have their matrix inter-woven to expose SIMI’s old and trusted strategy: use friends to serve purposes. Once the climate turned right after the government’s stand not to extend the ban, SIMI has begun to pursue this very strategy.
Alarmed at the happenings, the agencies have raised the level of vigilance and prepared an index of SIMI top cadres. At present, ‘hunt’ is on for three Ansars and a girl Sabina — the local head of SIMI offshoot Qafila Sakht-e-Jaan.
The agencies hold a view that the Ansars could be behind series of mysterious developments.
Overall, the index, comprising 17 names, has been divided into three categories — A, B, C. The list ‘A’ has nine names of Ansars — four of them are in prison as Hizbul Mujahideen militants. And the rest have disappeared after getting bail.
List ‘B’ comes with five names and of them four are most wanted. One of the Ansars wanted for inciting the March 16 riots has arrived from overseas recently.
The third list has four names of Ansars. All of them covertly secured bails and vanished from the city. Surprisingly, neither the police nor the local intelligence have addresses of the men arrested for subversive activities.
{{/usCountry}}The third list has four names of Ansars. All of them covertly secured bails and vanished from the city. Surprisingly, neither the police nor the local intelligence have addresses of the men arrested for subversive activities.
{{/usCountry}}The search for the elusive SIMI men became frantic soon after the newly formed SIMI national executive held meeting with its old horses and Aligarh went up in flames in April last. Thereafter, the developments that unfolded only puzzled the intelligence sleuths, who link the pattern with SIMI ploy to achieve certain objectives.
“It’s the same as it used to be in 1999-2000. There are sufficient reasons for us to believe that SIMI leaders are pulling string from behind,” a source said.
The latest proof comes from the manner in which mutawallis of mosques of strategic importance were changed in quick succession. Members of the Barelvi persuasion are crying foul.
They say the takeover process was illegal and persons now in charge certainly have SIMI leanings.
The Barelvis will stage a demonstration in Lucknow on June 20 to demand the constitution of a separate Waqf Board for them.