Students Islamic Movement Of India (SIMI):
Over 19 years after they were arrested, the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Surat has acquitted all 127 persons accused of “promoting a banned organization”, the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) in 2001.
- The Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) is a banned terrorist organization that was formed in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh in April 1977.
- The stated mission of SIMI is the ‘liberation of India’ by converting it to an Islamic land.
- It has declared Jihad against India, the aim of which is to establish Dar-ul-Islam (land of Islam) by either forcefully converting everyone to Islam or by violence.
- The Indian government describes it as a terrorist organization, and banned it in 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks.
- In February 2019, the Government of India extended the ban on SIMI for a period of five more years starting February 1, 2019, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.