Russia on Monday detained an ISIS terrorist who was planning to kill suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma for insulting Prophet Mohammad. Azamov, who was recruited by IS in Turkey, went to Russia to get Indian visa, and had plans to arrive in New Delhi with local assistance.
According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Azamov swore allegiance to the IS Emir (chief), and was instructed to leave for Russia, draw up the necessary documents and fly to India to carry out the attack.
“I was supposed to be given things there (in India) to commit a terrorist attack at the behest of the IS for insulting the Prophet Muhammad,” Azamov said in a video interrogation released by Russian Federal Security Service’s Center for Public Relation.
The ISIS has been taking advantage of the situation when more than 15 Islamic nations had released statements condemning Sharma’s views, and India had rushed its diplomats to contain the damage.
Minister of State for External Affairs Affairs V Muraleedharan had earlier clarified that the Indian government attached high priority to strengthening ties with Arab nations, who understand the government’s outlook.
The ISIS has apparently taken this opportunity to create a divide between communities and radicalise Muslim youths towards their side.
It is important to see how the threats have come to the fore in the backdrop of Sharma’s controversial remarks on Prophet Mohammad.
Increased Threats by ISIS Affiliate
In June, the Islamic State had threatened to attack India over Sharma’s controversy. Al Azaim Foundation, the mouthpiece of Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP), said India was on the target of the organisation over Sharma’s comments.
Not only this, independent news handle Khorasan Diary had posted a video on Twitter in which it threatened to conduct “attacks on India whenever possible”. It also slammed Taliban for engaging with India diplomatically.
Meanwhile, Al Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has recently threatened India to carry out suicide bombings in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat to avenge Sharma’s “blasphemous comments”. In a statement on June 6, the terror outfit had said, “The offenders of the Prophet Muhammad, the pride of humanity, shall find no amnesty or clemency, no peace and security will save them and this matter will not close with any words of condemnation of sorrow.”
IS Modules in India
More than 25 pro-Islamic State individuals were detained last month from Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
News18 had reported that the Tamil Nadu Police arrested Erode-based Islamic State sympathisers Asif Mustheen and his associate Yasir Nawab John and recovered a knife, a black IS flag, incriminating documents and digital media devices from their possession. The police said Mustheen was in contact with the IS-core in Syria/Iraq and had expressed his willingness to carry out a suicide attack in India to target Hindus, monasteries and police stations.
In another IB operation on July 24, the Bengaluru Police had arrested a city-based pro-Al Qaeda subject, Akhtar Hussain Laskar, who originally hails from Assam. Both Laskar and, one of his Salem-based associates, Mohammad Juba, from West Bengal, were propagating Al Qaeda ideologies through social media platforms. The duo was in contact with various foreign (Bangladesh and Afghanistan) as well as India-based pro-Al Qaeda entities.
How Many Indians Have Joined ISIS?
According to a US report, there are 66 known Indian-origin fighter affiliated to ISIS as of November 2021. No Foreign Terrorist Fighters were repatriated to India during 2020, the report said. “Officials in India remain concerned about internet use for terrorist recruitment and radicalisation to violence, as well as for fomenting interreligious tensions,” the report said.
According to a report in ThePrint, around 40 Indians, especially members of Middle East diaspora, who had joined the ISIS are locked in prisons in Turkey and Libya. India has decided to not give any diplomatic assistance to these IS prisoners.
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