IM DECLARED A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

Thegovernmentof India has declared the Indian Mujahideen (IM) as a "terrorist organization" formally on Friday, adding it and all its branches to the list of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The group IM-a shadow outfit of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba has been involved in a number of terror acts in different cities during 2007-10 in India.

An order issued by the Home Ministry under the Act, thegovernmenthas banned 34 groups and declared them terror outfits. Initially, the list carries the chief groups including ULFA, LTTE, LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizbul Mujahideen, Al-Qaeda, Al Badr, CPI (Maoist) and Khalistani and northeastern insurgent groups.

The formal declaration IM as a "terrorist organization" will help the police to go against the group in getting orders from the court to seize any land, house or any movable and immovable properties belonging to the members along with its associate groups. The activities of the group came into light after the terror strike in Varanasi on February 23, 2005.