DHAR, MP: Top leaders of banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), arrested from Indore and this neighboring district, were remanded in police custody till April 11 by a court here. 

Former SIMI chief Safdar Nagori, who has been absconding since the outfit was banned in 2001, and 12 other key members of the group, who were nabbed during a major crackdown against the outfit by the Madhya Pradesh Police, were brought to the court by the sleuths of Special Task Force (STF).

They have been charged with various sections of the Indian Penal Code including section 122 (collecting arms with intention of waging a war against the Indian Government) and section 153A (promoting enmity between classes) and sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.

Other prominent leaders of the outfit nabbed were Shibly Peedicaal Abdul, wanted in connection with Mumbai train serial blasts of July 2006 and setting up terror groups in Bangalore, Safdar Nagori's brother Kamruddin Nagori, chief of the outfit's operations in Andhra Pradesh, and Hafiz of Karnataka. During the raids in Indore and Dhar districts, police had said they had seized a large cache of weapons from them besides inflammable SIMI literature.

Indore Range IG Anil Kumar told newsmen that the SIMI leaders had come to the city to finalize training program of its cadres.

"SIMI activists, under the leadership of former Chief Safdar Nagori, had arrived in the city for the Organization's annual meeting. From the preliminary inquiry, it seems they finalized training program to its members during the meet."

The leaders were residing here for more than a month, Kumar said, adding that the police have recovered news clippings from them relating to the Mumbai train blasts which raises suspicion of the role of SIMI in the case.

Not ruling out their links with international terrorist organizations and the underworld, he said police now, as per the evidences available, was trying to expose their local network. He also said that more arrests were expected from Indore and its adjoining areas.

The outfit's top leaders were arrested by Madhya Pradesh Police for allegedly being involved in weapons procurement and illegal financing of the outfit.