NEW DELHI: In September 2015, a young, educated man (name withheld) was taken into preventive custody by the Kerala police for his alleged links with ISIS sympathisers. His footprints in the virtual world were first mapped by intelligence agencies monitoring online extremist teachings which are promoting a new terror phenomenon called ‘Jihad Cool’.
Although, Indian agencies have so far been able to prevent over 100 radicalised youths from travelling to Syria and Iraq to join the ISIS, faultlines such as the lack of Human Intelligence (HUMINT) poses a challenge in identifying individuals operating in the shadows. The government, while considering the importance of intelligence collected through human sources, has given its go-ahead to Central intelligence agencies to enhance their HUMINT capabilities by bringing spies, well-versed in local languages, on board.
Terror outfit ISIS may not be a major threat to India yet, but intelligence agencies are not taking any chances. According to sources, the spy agencies keeping a watch on terror outfits have received a green signal to examine faultlines in intelligence gathering and accordingly take a decision to enhance capacities to upgrade HUMINT and cover areas that are strategically important.
“Kerala remains a major concern because of growing radicalisation activities. We have been able to track down some radicalized educated youths targeted by ISIS terrorists through the online platform but more needs to be done in terms of generating intelligence from ground zero and subsequent effort for counter radicalisation and de-radicalisation processes,” a senior official told The Sunday Standard.
Counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation are separate processes because the former deals with the preventive aspect of stalling radical thought processes in affected areas and populate through multi-pronged effort while the latter entails measures to retrieve radicalised organisations. Sources confirmed intelligence agencies have been asked to take help of non-governmental organisations to counter radicalisation in vulnerable areas. Recently, Jamiat Ahle Hadees had organised a conference of youths, against the terrorist activities of ISIS. They urged youths to refrain from associating with ISIS that was involved in un-Islamic terrorist activities, resulting in deaths of thousands of innocent civilians.
Focus on Glocal
A blueprint of the proposedaction plan reviewed by The Sunday Standard suggests that agencies have been told to focus on strengthening the HUMINT by bringing local spies on deputation in a special unit within the agencies to generate intelligence depending on the priority of the region. They will be provided advanced training to monitor report and counter most challenging terror threats. Those on deputation will contribute in terms of personnel, local language skills, knowledge of topography and people, as well as liaison with the state police.
“This pool of deputationists, on return to state police, will contribute to strengthening the concept of an intelligence community to counter radicalisation effectively and also provide much needed impetus to HUMINT,” the action plan noted.
Additional resources for the plan, sources said, are being examined as it requires a detailed assessment.
Changing Profile of Recruits
A majority of youths from Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, who have been put under watch, are not the usual rag-tag Jihadis but well-educated tech savvy men from affluent families. Though, the role of social media platforms in breeding radicals is well known, their peer and institutional linkages demand more eyes and ears on the ground.
At least 5-6 suspects, who are under surveillance, runs small-time businesses, thus having a far wider social circle than other suspected Indian Mujahideen or Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists. A source said except one or two cases, many who joined ISIS self financed their travel to Syria and Iraq.
“This is new age of terrorism. Spies need to cover both virtual and physical world, equip the law enforcement agencies with actionable intelligence and support the counter radicalisation efforts by providing assessment on faultlines,” he said.
This requires geographical and local knowledge to connect with the vulnerable groups as a radicalised person may influence the friends or acquaintances. In a recent case, a Muslim youth, who recently travelled to the UAE, returned radicalised in just three months and tried to convince his Hindu best friend to convert and join the ISIS. During the interrogation, his friend told intelligence officers about the change in the youth’s behaviour after radicalisation and how he tried to influence their entire group of college friends.
“National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) has successfully mined actionable data on ISIS recruiters but we need to have a broader policy of cyber policing along with a strong HUMINT support,” the source further added.
Beefing the Moles
■ Govt wants capacities that enable intelligence agencies to monitor faultlines.
■ It plans to upgrade HUMINT, cover vulnerable areas
■ Special HUMINT unit to be supported by personnel having knowledge of topography, local languages
■ Personnel deputed as spies to assist local police to strengthen intelligence community