#NewDelhi: 32 websites including popular video site Vimeo had been blocked by government on Wednesday. Government had responded to a Mumbai court order on the grounds that the sites were being used to host extremist Islamic propaganda by jihadi groups.
Criticism had been sparked and outrage by free speech advocates on social media sites such as Twitter.
The Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Mumbai, Department of Information and Technology and the Anti-Terrorism Squad sent a show-cause notice in November to these sites for anti-national content.
Rakesh Garg, secretary of communications ministry said, “Since these sites did not respond, we were asked by the court to shut them down. Some have responded and assured that such activity will not be allowed.”
Notice of Mumbai Police said, “These sites were being used to mentor Indian youth for jihadi purposes.”
The ATS claimed it found that Areeb Majeed, an Indian youth from Thane (Mumbai) along with three other youths, were suspected to be working for Islamic State and using some of these websites to host anti-India propaganda. Anwar Husain, a resident of Bhatkal, Karnataka also used this to convey jihadi messages, ATS said.
Bureau Report
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