The investigations carried out by multiple agencies have found that the Popular Front of India (PFI) is linked with global terrorist groups like the ISIS and JMB, the Centre said on Wednesday.

It has also been discovered that the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts operate openly as socio-economic, educational and political organisations, but they have been pursuing a secret agenda to radicalize a particular section of the society.

So far the investigation by the multiple agencies have disclosed that some of the PFI’s founding members are the leaders of Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and PFI has linkages with Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) (JMB), both of which are proscribed organisations.

There had been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups like the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been working covertly to increase radicalisation of one community by promoting a sense of insecurity in the country, which is substantiated by the fact that some PFI cadres have joined international terrorist organisations.

As per the Ministry of Home Affairs, there had been a number of instances of international linkages of PFI with global terrorist groups and some activists of the PFI have joined Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and participated in terror activities in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. Some of these PFI cadres linked to ISIS have been killed in these conflict theaters and some have been arrested by State Police and Central Agencies and also the PFI has linkages with Jamat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB), a proscribed terrorist organisation.

The Centre on Wednesday through its notification said that the PFI and its associates or affiliates or fronts have been indulging in unlawful activities, which are prejudicial to the integrity, sovereignty and security of the country and have the potential of disturbing public peace and communal harmony of the country and supporting militancy in the country.

The Centre banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its associates or affiliates for a period of five years. The affiliates include Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an “unlawful association”.

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