SIMI denies any hand in serial blasts

The Students’ Islamic Movement of India on Thursday denied having any hand in Tuesday’s blasts in Mumbai.

The Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) on Thursday denied having any hand in Tuesday’s blasts in Mumbai. Shahid Badr, former president of the organisation, called it a ‘‘gruesome act’’ and said ‘‘the killing of innocent people amounts to a crime against entire humanity’’.

He denied the role of SIMI or any of its ex-members in the blast and said the thrice-banned organisation was being dragged into this matter ‘‘without any proof or basis whatsoever both by the government and now by the media’’. He told The Indian Express that sudden negative reports in the media against SIMI are what prompted him to make a public statement for the first time in five years.

SIMI, founded in April 1977 was banned in September 2001, about a fortnight after 9/11. Presently, a tribunal at the Delhi High Court is hearing if the ban is justified.

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In UP, Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav and his Samajwadi Party appeared to take a soft stand on the outfit, saying it had not been found to be involved in the Varanasi blasts and the terrorist attack in Ayodhya. ‘‘There is, however, a central ban on SIMI and it is being enforced in the state,’’ he hastened to add.

But, the West Bengal government ordered a crackdown on the outfit, which is reported to have several branches in the state. According to IB reports, SIMI is still active in districts like Murshidabad and Malda.

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