Indian Mujahideen

Indian Mujahideen is the name of a militant Islamist group in India, that has claimed responsibility for several attacks against civilian targets in India. [ [http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080058894&ch=7/27/2008%208:10:00%20AM "What is Indian Mujahideen?"] . Retrieved on 2008-07-27] Recently being addressed as NIM - Non-Indian Mujahideen because of their Anti-India Attacks. [ [http://ateawithme.wordpress.com/2008/10/02/why-indian-mujahideen-now-nim/"Why Indian Mujahideen?"] Retrieved on 2008-10-02]

Believed to be a "shadow amalgam of the SIMI and Lashkar-e-Toiba", the Indian Mujahideen have been declared a "terrorist" organization, and membership in the group has been banned in India. [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Mukesh_Ambani_in_Indian_Mujahideens_email/articleshow/3289842.cms Ambani in Indian Mujhaideens Email] " "Times of India". Retrieved on 2008-07-28.]

Investigators believe that Indian Mujahideen is one of many groups composed of lower-tier SIMI members. According to the Indian Intelligence Bureau, SIMI took new titles because the top leadership of SIMI have been detained and would be available for interrogation. [cite news
title= Investigators say Indian Mujahideen is SIMI, V2.0
first= Vicky
last= Nanjappa
url= http://specials.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/27sld1.htm
date= 07-27-2008
publisher= Rediff.com, Retrieved on 07-29-2008] The change in names is also believed to signal a change in tactics as SIMI-affiliated militants attempt to garner more support from India's Muslim community rather than be seen as a group consisting of foreigners. [cite news
title= Revealed: Indian Mujahideen's two-pronged terror strategy
first= Vicky
last= Nanjappa
url= http://www.rediff.com/news/2008/jul/29ahd4.htm
date= 07-29-2008
publisher= Rediff.com, Retrieved on 07-29-2008]

Two days after the 13 May 2008 Jaipur bombings, the Islamic extremist group [" [http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hIA4Jrf22A_LF8AAsPgwjxgZviVw Unknown Islamic group threatens more blasts in tourist India] ", Agence France-Presse, May 14, 2008.] sent an e-mail to Indian media in which they claimed responsibility for the attacks" [http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8257&issueid=53&Itemid=1 Indian Mujahideen sends pre-blast video footage] ", India Today, May 14, 2008.] and said they would "demolish the faith (Hinduism) of the infidels of India"." [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23718469-2703,00.html Outraged India set to expel migrants] ", The Australian, May 19, 2008.]

The biggest and boldest attack to date by the group was the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts, where it gained national notoriety with a casualty count towards 50.

This group also claimed to be responsible for the 2008 Delhi serial blasts.

Attacks claimed by Indian Mujahideen

The emails sent by Indian Mujahideen claimed that they were responsible for the following terror incidents. One warning email was received 5 minutes before the first blast in Ahmedabad. Another was received soon after the first blast of the Delhi bombings. The timing makes it impossible for any other groups to have sent the two emails.

*23 November 2007 Uttar Pradesh serial blasts
*13 May 2008 Jaipur bombings
*25 July 2008 Bangalore serial blasts
*26 July 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts
*13 September 2008 Delhi serial blasts

Indian Mujahideen emails

The Indian Mujahideen have sent several emails claiming responsibility for several bombings.

The complete text of the 14 page carefully drafted Indian Mujahideen email, sent 4 minutes before Ahmedabad blasts can be seen at [http://deshgujarat.com/2008/08/02/full-text-of-indian-muajahideens-ahmedabad-blasts-email/ THE RISE OF JIHAD, REVENGE OF GUJRAT] , [http://www.islam-watch.org/JihadiUmmah/Indian-Mujahideen.htm THE RISE OF JIHAD, REVENGE OF GUJRAT] . The message refers to Islamic conquerers of India -Ibn-e-Qasim, Ghauri, Ghaznawi.

It warns about havoc about to happen in five minues:

:"... Here we are back - the Mujahideen of India - the terrorists on the disbelievers - the radicals of Islam - after our triumphant and successful assault at Jaipur, once again calling you all, who disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) to accept Islam and bear witness that there is none to be worshipped except Allah, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah. Accept Islam and save yourselves.

:O Hindus! O disbelieving faithless Indians! Haven’t you still realized that the falsehood of your 33 crore dirty mud idols and the blasphemy of your deaf, dumb, mute idols are not at all going to save your necks, Insha-Allah, from being slaughtered?

:We call you, O Hindus, O enemies of Allah, to take an honest stance with yourselves lest another attack of Ibn-e-Qasim sends shivers down your spines, lest another Ghauri shakes your foundations, and lest another Ghaznawi massacres you, proving your blood to be the cheapest of all mankind! Have you forgotten your history full of subjugation, humiliation, and insult? Or do you want us to repeat it again? Take heed before it is too late!

:So wait! ................ Await now……….! Wait only for five minutes from now! .... Wait for the Mujahideen and Fidayeen of Islam and stop them if you can - who will make you feel the terror of Jihad. Feel the havoc cast into your hearts by Allah, the Almighty, face His Dreadful Punishment, and suffer the results of fighting the Muslims and the Mujahideen. Await the anguish, agony, sorrow and pain. Await, only for 5 minutes, to feel the fear of death...".

The email was in the form of a pdf document that included several Arabic quotes from the Quran with translation.

The past emails by Indian Mujahideen include the following [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indian_Mujahideen_terror_mail_traced_to_Mumbai_Police/articleshow/3480334.cms Indian Mujahideen terror mail traced to Mumbai: Police14 Sep 2008, 0013 hrs IST, Mateen Hafeez,TNN] :

* Serial blasts in three towns of Uttar Pradesh in November 2007 [http://www.outlookindia.com/full.asp?fodname=20080915&fname=raman&sid=1 More Questions Than Answers]
* May 13 2008, after the Jaipur blasts email [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/15/india Indian Mujahideen claims responsibility for Jaipur blasts] , traced to a Ghaziabad cyber cafe [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080516/jsp/nation/story_9278391.jsp Agents of terror: cafe to humble wheels ‘Jaipur email’ traced to cyber outlet in UP] .
* July 26, 2008, four minues before Ahmedabad blasts, email traced Kenneth Haywood's WiFi IP address in Sanpada, Navi Mumbai.
* August 2008, after the press conference held by the Gujarat Police, IP address traced to WiFi network of Khalsa college in Matunga, central Mumbai.
* September 13 2008,during the Delhi serial blast, IP address traced to WiFi network of Kamran Power Control Pvt Ltd, at 201-202 Eric House, 16th Road, Chembur.

They did not sent any e-mail messages claiming responsibility for the serial blasts in Bangalore on July 25, 2008.

uspects and arrests

According to Gujarat police, the breakthrough in the Ahmedabad blasts case came from five ‘switched-off’ mobile phone numbers [http://www.mumbaimirror.com/net/mmpaper.aspx?page=article&sectid=3&contentid=2008081720080817024615917ad002c3c Five SIM cards gave us the vital clues] . Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Ashish Bhatia said that the terrorists had procured five SIM cards of phones that were switched off on the day of the blasts — July 26. The analysis of the phone calls made to those SIM cards from PCOs provided them the key leads.

The arrest of ten suspects included the leader, Mufti Abu Bashir Ishlahi alias Abdul Wasir, who was arrested the help of Uttar Pradesh police at his father's home at Sarai Mir in Azamgarh UP [http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Hang-him-if-he-is-a-terrorist-says-Abu-Bashirs-father/350069/ Hang him if he is a terrorist, says Abu Bashir’s father] on August 14, 2008.

Bashir studied in the local Madarsatul Islah and later in Deoband in Saharanpur. According to the reports Bashir claimed that the bombings cost Rs 75,000 a SIMI activist sold his house in Kutch to get the amount [http://www.inewsindia.com/2008/08/22/mufti-abu-bashir-admits-involvement-in-ahmedabad-blasts-police/ Mufti Abu Bashir admits involvement in Ahmedabad blasts: Police!] .

Bashir, who had stayed in Ahmedabad along with Abdul Subhan Qureshi alias Tauqeer, a co-conspirator, had bought five SIM cards using local names and addresses [http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/The-art-of-mastering-SIMple-cards/352302/ The art of mastering SIMple cards] . He had used these cellphone numbers to remain in touch with the other members of the module at the planning stage of the conspiracy. Bashir had given the SIM cards to the bomb planters on July 26, who had used them carefully. Each member had contacted the others through STD-PCO booths after successfully planting the bombs. These numbers were used only for receiving calls. Many of the calls were from Juhapura, where Zahid Shaikh, one of the key members of the group, lived at Sandhi Avenue near the Sarkhej highway. These numbers had become inactive immediately after the blasts.

Jamia Nagar Encounter

On September 19, 2008, the police raided an apartment in Jamia Nagar, near Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi. There is speculation that the prime suspect in the Ahmedabad blasts, Mufti Abu Bashir, a madrasa teacher from Azamgarh, may have pointed out the apartment [http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&issueid=71&task=view&id=15670&sectionid=4&Itemid=1 More attacks possible, says Ahmedabad blasts prime suspect] .

The raid resulted in the death of suspected terrorists Bashir alias Mohammed Atif Amin (son of Mohammed Amin, cloth merchant in Bhiwandi), Mohammad Sajid and a decorated police officer Mohan Chand Sharma in the gunfight [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Shootout_at_Delhis_Jamia_Nagar_2_terrorists_killed/articleshow/3502240.cms Shootout at Jamia Nagar; 2 terrorists killed] . Mohammad Saif (the son of Samajwadi Party leader Shadab Ahmed) [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080920/jsp/nation/story_9861753.jsp Jamia trail ends in hitmen cradle] was arrestd while two suspects managed to flee by possibly jumping the rooftops [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080920/jsp/frontpage/story_9861297.jsp War in warren-like Delhi - Blast suspects killed in gun battle] . All of the suspects were from Azamgarh district’s Sarai Mir town [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080920/jsp/nation/story_9861753.jsp Jamia trail ends in hitmen cradle] . They claimed to be students, but that was denied by Jamia Millia [http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=223222 ‘They were like any other students’]

The five were thought to be responsible for manufacturing bombs used in Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Delhi blasts.

Atif claimed to have been studying for a diploma in Human Resources Development from Jamia Milia Islamia University [http://in.news.yahoo.com/32/20080920/1055/tnl-atif-didn-t-shy-from-tenant-verifica.html Atif didn't shy from tenant verification] . However [http://www.indianexpress.com/news/linked-to-lashkar-fan-of-osama-atif-was-.../363971/ Linked to Lashkar, fan of Osama, Atif was part of 14 ] Jamia Milia denied having him as a student. Some residets of Sarai Mir thought he was pursuing his bachelors in technology from Jamia Hamdard [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Azamgarh_shocked_angry_over_news_of_Delhi_encounter/articleshow/3506464.cms Azamgarh shocked, angry over news of Delhi encounter] .

Atif was said to have been the leader of a group of 14 young men belong to Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, all claiming to have been studying in Delhi: Atif (24), Sajid alias Pankaj (19), (both now dead), Shehzad alias Pappu (22), Junaid (27), Shahdab Bhai alias Mallick (27), Sajid (24), Mohammad Khalid (25), Arif (22), Shakil (26), Zia Khan (24) and Salman (25), Zeeshan (24) and Mohammad Saif (23).

Zeeshan Jawed was arrested from the offices of a private TV station, he worked for a private company, Monarch International on Vikas Marg, and is also said to be studying management. Both him and Saif claim to have been recruited by Atif.

It is reported that Mohammad Saif has said that the plans to carry out several blasts across the country were mooted about three years ago when the Indian Mujahideen (IM) was formed [http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/FullcoverageStoryPage.aspx?sectionName=&id=bebbc3a5-6050-4e69-9c53-cef3e3e29643TerrorStrikesDelhi_Special&&Headline=Serial+blasts+were+planned+in+2005Serial blasts were planned in 2005] . Although the blasts spanned over a period of 10 months (the first blasts took place in August 2007 in Hyderabad), the planning was made far back in 2005. After that series of explosions occurred Uttar Pradesh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi.

There is considerable resentment in Sarai Mir over the death of the local boys [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Azamgarh_shocked_angry_over_news_of_Delhi_encounter/articleshow/3506464.cms Azamgarh shocked, angry over news of Delhi encounter] . Villagers have blamed the media for giving a bad name to Azamgarh by calling it a "nursery of terror" [http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=2&theme=&usrsess=1&id=223358] . Dreaded mafia don Abu Salem and Dawood Ibrahim also hail from here. Azamgarh used to export its famous country-made pistols, known as kattas, whose factories dot the region. The district was also known for young sharpshooters who joined Mumbai gangs. Individuals from the area have been accused of the murders of Bollywood producer Gulshan Kumar in Mumbai and Left leader Shankar Guha Niyogi in Chhattisgarh. It has been claimed that every month, Mumbai and West Asia dons pump in Rs 1 crore through the hawala channels into this district [http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080920/jsp/nation/story_9861753.jspJamia trail ends in hitmen cradle] .

uspected leaders

It is suspected that these are the major leaders of the Indian Mujahideen group [http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15621&Itemid=1&issueid=72&sectionid=30&limit=1&limitstart=0 The emerging leadership] .

* Abdus Subhan Qureshi Alias Tauqeer, 36, sought: A software engineer from Mumbai. An expert in bomb-making and is an expert hacker.

* Safdar Nagori, 38, under arrest: Architect the transformation from SIMI to Indian Mujahideen.

* Mufti Abu Bashir, 28, under arrest: A preacher from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh.

* Qayamuddin Kapadia, 28, sought : A trader of Vadodara, he started the first-ever mosque of the Ahle Hadis Tanzeem in Vadodara a few years ago.

* Sajid Mansuri, 35, under arrest: A graduate in psychology and formerly a marketing executive.

* Usman Agarbattiwala, sought, 25: A PG diploma holder from Vadodara in human rights

* Alamzeb Afridi, 24, sought: A jobless youth from Ahmedabad. He purchased bicycles and then planted them in Ahmedabad after tying bombs.

* Abdul Razik Mansuri, 27, sought: An embroidery unit owner.

* Mujib Shaikh, 25, sought: A stone polishing artisan.

* Zahid Shaikh, 27, sought: A mobile phone repair shop owner from Ahmedabad.

* Amil Parwaz, sought: A native of Ujjain. Believed to be involved in the court bomb blasts in Uttar Pradesh in November 2007.

Delhi group

The local group at Delhi is thought to include [http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080066256 The terror thirteen of Indian Mujahideen] the following, most of them from Azamgarh:

* Mohammad Atif (24) aka Bashir: alleged planner and recruiter, killed in Jamia Nagar encounter on 19 September. Alleged to have planted a bomb at M-block market in Greater Kailash-I, and Varanasi bombs.

* Mohammad Saif arrested from Batla House in Jamia Nagar after the 19 September encounter. Alleged to have planted a bomb at Regal Cinema in Connaught Place.

* Zeeshan: arrested after the Jamia Nagar encounter. Alleged to have planted a bomb at Barakhamba Road in Connaught Place.

* Mohammed Sajid (16) aka Pankaj, killed during the Jamia Nagar encounter. Alleged to have planted a bomb at Barakhamba Road in Connaught Place.

* Junaid: Escaped during the Jamia Nagar encounter. Alleged to have planted a bomb at M-block market in Greater Kailash-I, and Varanasi bombs.

* Mohammad Shakeel (24): arrested him on 21 September from Jamia Nagar. Alleged to have planted a bomb at Nehru Place in south Delhi
* Zia-ur-Rehman (22): arrested on 21 September from Jamia Nagar. Alleged to have planted a bomb at Connaught Place and on a cycle in Ahmedabad.

* Saqib Nisar (23): arrested him on 21 September from Jamia Nagar.

* Shahzad alias Pappu: escaped during the Jamia Nagar encounter. Alleged to have planted a bomb at in Central Park, Connaught Place.

* Alihas Malik: sought. Alleged to have planted a bomb at Central Park, Connaught Place.

* Mohammad Khalif: sought.
* Arif: sought.
* Salman: sought.

ee also

* Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami
* Students Islamic Movement of India
* Abdul Subhan Qureshi

References