Indian Mujahideen (IM)

The IM is a Sunni Islamist militant group, consisting primarily of former members of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). The IM is best understood as a label for a relatively amorphous, decentralized network that operates through a number of modules across India. The IM's stated goal is to carry out terrorist actions against non-Muslims, for their oppression of Muslims. The group's primary method of attack is multiple coordinated bombings in crowded areas against economic and civilian targets to maximize terror and casualties. The group has also organized training in Pakistan with militant Islamist groups such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, a listed entity under the Criminal Code. The IM were found to have conducted a July 13, 2011 attack in which three explosive devices were detonated consecutively in separate locations in Mumbai, Maharashtra. At least 22 people were killed and 131 others wounded. As of 2018, media reports suggest that IM has been trying to revive itself following a series of arrests of its key operatives, internal disagreement between leaders, and defections. There are no reports of IM claiming responsibility for any terrorist incidents between January 2019 and November 2021. In 2022, IM had reportedly set a target of preparing more than 200 sleeper cell members in 2022 in some areas of Bihar-Bengal, Nepal.