ISIS using social media to attract educated youth

New Delhi: Investigations by the National Investigation Agency into activities of the Islamic State (ISIS) in the country has revealed that more educated youth were getting attracted towards the terror outfit as it has been effectively using the social media to radicalise Indian youth. Sources in the investigating agency said out of the 52 youth arrested by NIA last year in 12 ISIS related cases, at least 20 of the accused persons were either engineers or graduates while three were of them were post graduates or MCA.

Maximum number of arrests of 12 persons was made from Maharashtra, while 11 were from Kerala, 10 from Hyderabad, 5 each from Karnataka and West Bengal, 4 from Uttar Pradesh, 3 from Tamil Nadu, 2 from Rajasthan and one each from Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

NIA sources said that as many as 80 per cent of the accused persons had formal education and schooling while the remaining 20 per cent went to a madarsa. “This clearly shows that educated youth was being attracted to ISIS which is why the are focusing so much on use of social media. Interestingly, 30 of the accused arrested last year were from the middle income families while nine of them were from upper income group. Majority of the youth at least 28 are in the age group of 18-25 years while 20 of them are in the age group of 25-40 years,’’ a senior official in the agency said.

Sources said the threat perception from ISIS remained high as it was still trying hard to radicalise youth and recruit them for subversive activities not just in India but in neighbouring areas also, particularly Bangladesh. Both NIA and the Intelligence Bureau already have specialised units to deal with increasing threat of ISIS and constantly monitor the cyber space for it also.

“We keeping a very close watch on ISIS activities in the country. Though they are trying hard the terror group has so far not been able to establish a strong terror module here but they need to be kept under constant surveillance,’’ the official added.

The NIA, which is the country’s nodal agency for investigating counter terror cases, is also looking into the bank accounts and some real estate investments by controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik whose outfit, Islamic Research Foundation, has already been banned by the home ministry.