UK bans Indian Mujahideen

The UK has banned Indian Mujahideen, citing the "indiscriminate mass casualty attacks" carried out by the Lashkar-e-Tayiba-linked terror group in India and the threat it posed to British nationals there.

British MPs voted unanimously last night to ban IM, placing it on the list of 47 organisations that have been banned from functioning in the UK.

Setting out the reasons for proscribing IM under the Terrorism Act 2000, Home Office Minister James Brokenshire told the House of Commons that the decision was "not taken lightly" but after thoroughly reviewing all the available information and evidence about the India-based terror group.

"IM has been engaged in indiscriminate mass casualty attacks in India... They use violence to achieve their stated objectives of creating an Islamic state in India and implementing Sharia law," Brokenshire said.

He added: "The organisation has frequently perpetrated attacks against civilian targets such as markets with the intention of maximising casualties...

"The organisation has also publicly threatened to attack British tourists, so they clearly pose a threat to British nationals in India."

The minister noted that IM was also banned in other countries, including the United States and New Zealand.

India had banned IM, which is linked to the Pakistan-based LeT, in June 2010 after it was suspected of involvement in the attack on a Pune bakery.