SIMI offices in Gujarat sealed

By Our Special Correspondent

GANDHINAGAR, SEPT. 28. All the offices in Gujarat of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) have been sealed and some ``objectionable materials'' seized by the State police today. And all the bank accounts of the SIMI had been frozen.

An official spokesman of the State Government said no arrest of the office-bearers or others had yet been made in the State. He said the police were aware of the whereabouts of those connected with the SIMI in the State and arrests could be made if they continued their ``objectionable activities'' even after the ban order.

The Government had also warned all those who might provide direct or indirect help to SIMI activists in carrying out their activities. The Government could invoke National Security Act against such collaborators, the spokesman said. The Government had requested the people to inform the nearest police station if anyone was aware of the unlawful activities of the SIMI.

The Minister of State for Home, Mr. Haren Pandya, reviewed the post-ban situation with senior police and administrative officials here today. Mr. Pandya instructed the police to keep a close watch on SIMI activists and ensure that the ban order was properly implemented.

Meanwhile, the SIMI State president, Mr. Arif Kadri, while denying that it was involved in any anti-national activities had claimed that the ban would only help to strengthen his organisation. He, however, praised Osama bin Laden as a ``real hero'' and said the aim of the SIMI was to spread Islam through peaceful means as far as possible but saw nothing wrong in the armed struggle to achieve the goal, if necessary.

PTI reports from Jaipur:

Police sealed the state-level SIMI office here and rounded up 18 of its activists in different parts of the State, official sources said here today. While five persons each were taken into custody in Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur, three were arrested in Bikaner, two each in Jodhpur and Baran and one in Sikar, they said.

All arrests were made in apprehension of breach of peace, the sources added.

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