Just a day after ISIS claimed responsibility for the Paris carnage, it is learnt that the terrorist outfit poses a severe threat to India. The biggest threat is from the internet and social networking sites espousing extremist ideology and propaganda. According to intelligence sources the 7 million strong Indian diaspora present in the Gulf and Western Asia could be a potential hunting ground for ISIS.
Reports of possible collaboration between India-centric terror groups and outfits in Syria/Iraq could affect India. According to sources, the vulnerable areas in the country are Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal.
According to an interrogation report of 2013, 56.3% of individuals are motivated by extremist discourse through meetings and internet under the garb of religious programmes. 13.6% are driven by perception of Muslims that they were being targeted by the West, 11.2% are lured for money and a good lifestyle, 7.2% turned to militancy in reaction to Hindu communalism and the remaining 1.7% turned to militancy in retaliation to communal incidents.
In August 2012, a terror module was busted in Bengaluru. Investigations revealed that educated youngsters were radicalised over the internet and were travelling to Afghanistan to join jihad.
In other incidents, two youngsters tried to go to Afghanistan via Iran and Pakistan. They were intercepted by Pakistani agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and were asked to work for them against India. Six youngsters from Hyderabad were intercepted in Kolkata and prevented from travelling abroad.
The reports further states over 22 youngsters across states were radicalised by a Dubai-based Indian individual on social media. Two youngsters from Maharashtra were arrested by Hyderabad Police in 2014 who were beng motivated by a former Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) activist.
How is India countering ISIS threat?
India is taking all preventive measures to counter ISIS threat perception. Ground level intelligence has been activated to identify potential threats. Any suspicious activity taking place is monitored and youngters found to be attracted to ISIS ideology are not arrested but being sent for counselling.
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