As reported by Times Now, an FIR was lodged by an Allahabad-based youth who alleged that he was contacted by members of terrorist organization ISIS on WhatsApp and was promised $5,000 in exchange for sensitive information about Indian intelligence agencies. The Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) unit of UP Police is investigating the matter.
The youth who is working in the city received Whatsapp messages from two different US-based numbers after being added to an unidentified Whatsapp group with the logo of IS as a display picture. The FIR was registered with Dhoomanganj police under the IT Act.
SP Brajesh Kumar Srivastava, said, “The ATS unit of UP Police has started its investigation into the case. The local police have been assisting the ATS squad and things would be clearer within a day or two.” He further said that the numbers which were used to send the messages to the youth are also being probed. Srivastava confirmed that the youth approached the police after he was added to the unidentified WhatsApp group.
IG (ATS) Asim Arun said that Allahabad police chief had asked for assistance in the case and the ATS was probing it and expected to get a clear picture within two to three days.
The warning signs about ISIS and its poisonous ideology gaining a foothold in this country have been out there for quite some time. Last month Gujarat ATS (Anti Terror Squad) has filed a charge sheet an Ankleshwar court which reveals the intention of an individual, arrested earlier, to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a sniper rifle. The charge sheet clearly mentions that the intention to target Prime Minister was expressed in a conversation on a messaging app.
Ubaid Mirza, an aide of an alleged ISIS operative, a practising lawyer, and Kasim Stimberwala, a lab technician in Sardar Patel Hospital and Heart Institute both residents of Surat involved in the PM’s assassination plot, were arrested last year in October on reports of a suspected attack during the Gujarat assembly polls. Later the ATS revealed that the two were allegedly planning ‘lone wolf’ attack on Jews in Mumbai and Ahmedabad.
Insurgency issues in Kashmir are often spoken about, however, people seldom talk about the radical Islamic issues encompassing the country. Nation chooses to remain closemouthed about ISIS taking root in the country, and the silent battle India is fighting on that front.
The data on the subject is pretty clear. In 2014, 6 people were arrested by Indian security agencies for pro-ISIS sentiments and engaging in behaviour supportive of the Jihadist terror group. In 2015, that number rose to 19. Again in 2016, the numbers saw a rise and 54 people were arrested for pro-ISIS sentiments. In 2017, however, the number came down to 34. These are just numbers of those arrested, those suspected to have actually joined ISIS is much higher.
The unique circumstance in India that make it more susceptible to the ISIS threat is the fact that many political parties are quite willing to sacrifice national interests for electoral benefits. Although the Indian security forces have kept these threats relatively at the check, it’s time the country awakens to this rising hazard and the so-called guardians of the country spring out, keeping the Nations rationale before their personal benefits.
