KOCHI: As per the investigation by the Kerala Police into the arrests of Islamic State (IS) sympathisers in Kerala, a few of the arrested have a history of being SIMI associates. Officers said the SIMI's earlier tone of activities in the state had certain underlying similarities with the IS doctrine and campaign.
The Union Ministry has asked for reports on SIMI from all states as the ban on the organisation ends on January 31, 2019. It was in 2001 the SIMI was initially declared as an outlawed organisation. Subsequently, the ban continued and on July 30, 2014, a tribunal confirmed the ban for a period of five years.