SIMI activist Mohammad Ali in police net

Bhopal, Sep 20 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh police have arrested Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) treasurer Mohammad Ali from a train in Misrod area near Bhopal last night.

''Jabalpur-resident Mohammad Ali (30), who used aliases such as Mukarram, Hazimalm, Afzal, etc, was arrested following concrete information about his arrival from Narsinghpur to Bhopal. Police had launched 'Operation Jimma' to nab him,'' Inspector General of Police Shailendra Srivastava and DIG (Anti-Terrorism Squad) Pawan Srivastava told a press conference here today.

The Inspector General said important documents related to SIMI had been seized from the accused.

Ali was today presented before court, which sent him to 10 days' police custody. Police had come to know that someone named Mohammad Ali was national treasurer of the banned outfit when it had arrested hardcore SIMI activists from Indore in March. Madhya Pradesh police and its newly-formed ATS wing were hunting for Ali since then.

After SIMI's name came up in connection with the Delhi and Ahmedabad blasts, police from these states have sought SIMI-related details from Madhya Pradesh. Information about some persons -- linked to SIMI leader Safdar Nagori -- have been sought in particular.

Nagori and 12 associates were arrested on March 26 during a Madhya Pradesh Police crackdown on SIMI at Indore, Ujjain and Khandwa. Ahmedabad police have taken custody of Nagori in order to question him in connection with Ahmedabad blasts.

UNI AKS-PS 1942