The Indian Mujahideen (IM) is an Islamist extremist organization that has exhibited significant operational engagement within the borders of India. The jihadist organization was established as a derivative of the Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) by a number of individuals who had become radicalized, including Iqbal Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, Yasin Bhatkal, Abdul Subhan Qureshi, Amir Reza Khan, and Sadiq Israr Sheikh, among other participants.The entity in question has demonstrated activity dating back to 2005, during which it perpetrated a bombing incident at the Dashashwamedh Ghat in Varanasi. This event resulted in injuries sustained by eight individuals.The group has been associated with the jihadist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba and its supporter, the Inter-Services Intelligence of Pakistan. Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh maintains a close association with the aforementioned group and played a pivotal role in its establishment.
Background of Indian mujahideen (IM)
- The formation of the group occurred through the consolidation of two entities: Usaba, a branch of the Students’ Islamic Movement of India located in Bhatkal, which is the hometown of individuals such as Iqbal Bhatkal, Riyaz Bhatkal, and Yasin Bhatkal; and the Asif Reza Commando Force, established by Amir Reza Khan in honor of his deceased brother who had engaged in a confrontation with law enforcement and was responsible for the 2002 assault on an American cultural center in Kolkata.
- The majority of its recruits are sourced from the organization known as SIMI, from whom the IM primarily originated. The organization was established in the year 2003 and commenced its operations in 2005. Subsequently, it began referring to itself as the “Indian Mujahideen” in electronic communications following the occurrence of the Uttar Pradesh bombings in 2007.
- The Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh (HUJI-B) significantly contributed to the establishment of the organization and had prior affiliations with the Asif Reza Commando Force. The Lashkar-e-Taiba played a pivotal role in providing essential assistance during the establishment of the Indian Mujahideen.
- The Batla House encounter, which took place in 2008 and resulted in the arrest of multiple members of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), initially shed light on the leadership of this jihadist organization.
- The organization’s primary armaments consist of meticulously crafted improvised explosive devices (IEDs) constructed using ammonium nitrate, which have been employed in the majority of its significant assaults.
Leaders of Indian mujahideen (IM)
- Riyaz Bhatkal, one of the co-founders hailing from Bhatkal, is now evading authorities and is believed to be residing in Karachi.
- Iqbal Bhatkal, a co-founder hailing from Bhatkal, is currently evading authorities in Karachi.Amir Reza Khan, one of the co-founders, is currently evading authorities in Karachi.
- Yasin Bhatkal, one of the co-founders, hailing from Bhatkal, is currently in custody.
- Abdul Subhan Qureshi, also known as Tauqeer, has been apprehended. He is recognized as a co-founder and software engineer hailing from Mumbai, possessing specialized knowledge in the construction of explosive devices.
- Additionally, Sadiq Israr Sheikh, another co-founder, is currently in custody. Sheikh holds an engineering degree from Azamgarh and is a suspect in the 2006 Mumbai train bombings.
- Mohsin Ismail Chaudhary, an individual with expertise in Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) hailing from Pune, is currently evading authorities in Karachi.
- Mirza Shadab Beg, an operational planner affiliated with the IM, is now evading authorities in Pakistan.
- Dr. Shahnawaz, a practitioner of Unani medicine, is now evading authorities in Afghanistan.
Major attacks by Indian mujahideen (IM)
- 2005 Delhi bombings
- 2006 Mumbai train bombings
- 2006 Varanasi bombings
- August 2007 Hyderabad bombings
- 2007 Uttar Pradesh bombings
- 2008 Jaipur bombings
- 2008 Delhi bombings
- 2008 Bangalore serial blasts
- 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts
- 2010 Bangalore stadium bombing
- 2010 Pune bombing
- 2010 Jama Masjid attack
- 2010 Varanasi bombing
- 2011 Delhi bombing
- 2012 Pune bombings
- 2011 Mumbai serial blasts[39]
- 2013 Bodh Gaya blasts[40]
- 2013 Bangalore bombing
- 2013 Patna bombings
- 2013 Hyderabad blasts
- 2014 Burdwan blast
- 2014 Bangalore bombing
- 2014 Chennai train bombing
- 2018 Bodh Gaya blasts
Batla house encounter
- The police searched a flat in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, which is close to Jamia Millia Islamia, on September 19, 2008. It’s possible that Mufti, an Azamgarh-born madrasa instructor and the main suspect in the 2008 Ahmedabad blasts, pointed out the residence.
- Terrorists Bashir alias Mohammed Atif Amin and Mohammad Sajid, as well as a decorated police officer named Mohan Chand Sharma, were killed during the raid. Mohammed Atif Amin was the son of Mumbai textile merchant Mohammed Amin.
- Two adversaries were apprehended while Mohammad Saif (the son of Samajwadi Party leader Shadab Ahmed) attempted to escape by potentially jumping the rooftops.The suspects were all from the Azamgarh district’s Sarai Mir town.The university rejected their allegation that they were Jamia Milia Islamia students.
- The five were in charge of making the bombs used in the explosions in Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Delhi.
- Atif stated that he was enrolled at Jamia Milia Islamia University to get a diploma in human resources development. Jamia Milia, on the other hand, denied having him as a pupil. Some Sarai Mir locals believed he was attending Jamia Hamdard to complete his bachelor’s degree in technology.
- The 14 young men who claimed to be studying in Delhi included Atif, Sajid alias Pankaj (both now deceased), Shehzad alias Pappu, Junaid, Shahdab Bhai alias Mallick, Sajid, Mohammad Khalid, Arif, Shakil, Zia Khan and Salman, Zeeshan, and Mohammad Saif.
- Zeeshan Jawed was taken into custody at a private TV station’s premises. He reportedly studied management and worked for the private company Monarch International on Vikas Marg. He and Saif both assert that Atif hired them.
- According to reports, Mohammad Saif claimed that when the Indian Mujahideen was founded, plans to carry out a number of explosions around the nation were first discussed.The planning began well back in 2005, even though the explosions took place over a 10-month period (the first one occurred in Hyderabad in August 2007). Following that, explosions were reported in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jaipur, and Ahmedabad.
- The loss of the neighborhood boys has caused a great deal of bitterness in Sarai Mir. Villagers accuse the media of defaming Azamgarh by referring to it as a “nursery of terror” and have demanded compensation.
- Abu Salem, a mafia don, is from this area . The area is dotted with companies that produce the renowned national pistols known as “kattas” that were once exported from Azamgarh. The neighborhood was renowned for producing young shooters who joined the gangs in Mumbai. The murders of Leftist activist Shankar Guha Niyogi in Chhattisgarh and Bollywood producer Gulshan Kumar in Mumbai are allegedly the work of local residents.