Times of India
 
NAGPUR, Jun 19: They are from the weaker sex but are working to strengthen the terror network, right here in Nagpur.

And it's children, as tender as 5 to 15 years old, whom they are looking to mould into subversive agents of tomorrow.

Local intelligence agencies have learned that woman sleeper cells of banned terror outfit Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) are consolidating Shaheen Force, the wing of school children, and Tehreek Tulba-e-Arabiya, the movement of the students of Arabic, both off-shoots of SIMI, in the city.

Interrogation of arrested senior Simi members revealed such tactics all over the country. It is learnt that sleeper cells comprising women are active near Kidwai ground in Pachpaoli, Timki and Mominpura area since some time now, focussing on creating a network among students.

City police have already started working on the input that women working for SIMI are active in different educational institutions of the city as teachers. Apart from strengthening the base of SIMI by raising recruits in schools and madrassas, woman sleeper cells also encourage students to learn Urdu and follow the ideologies of Islamic hardliners and Jehadi theories.

The students are also motivated through Jehadi literature. Once trained in theory, the students are exposed to 'atrocities' on Muslims and inflammatory lectures, shown provocative movies and clippings of media coverage and also, at times, eye-witnesses.

"They imbibe Jehadi thoughts in impressionable brains and then handpick the able ones to be sent for training in explosives and arms and ammunition in camps across the border," said a source.

City police had got an inkling of woman sleeper cells and Shaheen Force in the city during the custodial interrogation of top SIMI functionary Dr Abrar Arif.