Umer was in close contact with the suspected SIMI terrorists Abu Faizal, Ejajuddin, Mehboob, Aslam, Amzad and Zakir Hussain, all of whom recently escaped from Khandwa jail in Madhya Pradesh, he said.
In 2011, Umer Siddhiqui had hosted a meeting of Chhattisgarh unit of Indian Mujahideen in a forested area 40-50 kms away from the Raipur, according to the SP.
Umer coordinated several others meetings of SIMI, which were attended by IM terrorists Abu Faizal alias Doctor, Ikrar Sheikh, Mujib Khan, Abdul Wahid and Imarur Rehmaan, he added.
Police sources said the arrests were significant from security point of view as political bigwigs such as Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi are visiting the poll-bound state for campaigning.
