Abul Subhan Qureshi, a founder of the Indian Mujahideen, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Kochi NIA Court in connection with the 2007 Vagamon SIMI arms training camp case. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 75,000 under various provisions. The verdict was pronounced on October 12 and made public on the morning of October 15.
The case is in connection with an arms training camp conducted by the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) at Thangalppara, Vagamon, in Idukki district from December 10 to 12, 2007.
The investigation team found that Qureshi was the man behind the camp. The NIA had made it clear that the camp involved arms training, including training in bomb blasts.
The NIA had found that SIMI terrorists from all over the country had participated in the camp.
Abul Subhan Qureshi was arrested by the Delhi Police in January 2018. Later, he was handed over to the Gujarat Police in connection with the Ahmedabad blast case.
Consequently, he was handed over to the NIA. Qureshi is an accused in various terror-linked cases in different parts of the country.
The Vagamon arms training camp case is one of the most prominent SIMI terror cases in the state.
The NIA viewed the camp as a threat to the country’s security and communal harmony. The agency saw it as a conspiracy.
Abul Subhan Qureshi, alias “Thoukheer”, is one of the founders of the Indian Mujahideen. He was the treasurer of SIMI during the days of the Vagamon camp.
The investigating agency had found that he had absolute knowledge of the camp’s financial sources. The NIA had also examined the financial assistance the camp had received.
Investigating agencies had been searching for Qureshi in connection with various terror-linked cases in different parts of the country. He was arrested in connection with the Ahmedabad blast case.
The Vagamon arms training camp and Panayikkulam cases were crucial to the investigation into the activities of the terrorist outfit.
The Panayikkulam case concerned a secret meeting SIMI held on August 15, 2006, at Happy Auditorium in Panayikkulam, Ernakulam district. It was alleged that anti-national and communal speeches were delivered at the programme.
The Indian Mujahideen (IM) is a proscribed Islamist militant group based in Bharat and operating primarily against targets in Bharat. It was founded around 2005–2007 as an offshoot of the banned SIMI and the Asif Reza Commando Force.
The prominent leaders were Yasin Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, Iqbal Bhatkal and Abul Subhan Qureshi. Riyaz and Iqbal Bhatkal are believed to be based in Karachi, Pakistan, while Yasin Bhatkal was arrested by Bharatiya authorities in 2013.
Here are the major terrorist activities linked to the Indian Mujahideen:
The group has been linked to numerous civilian bombings across Bharat, including the 2008 Jaipur bombings, the 2010 Pune and Bangalore bombings, the 2011 Mumbai bombings and the 2013 Hyderabad blasts.
The actions various governments have taken against the terror group are summarised below:
Bharat banned the group on June 4, 2010, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The United States designated it as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) on September 15, 2011.
Several countries, including New Zealand and the United Kingdom, proscribed the terrorist outfit.
When Qureshi was arrested, XINHUANET, a Chinese media outlet, reported that “India’s Bin Laden” had been arrested.
