ISIS a ‘long-term security concern’

The Union home ministry on Tuesday termed the terror threat being posed by ISIS as a “long-term national security concern’’ and said it has initiated a series of steps to check the spread of ISIS in India.

In a written reply, the MHA informed the Lok Sabha that social media is being used by the outfit largely for indoctrination of youth and the government is countering such threats by monitoring the social media as well as launcing a counter-radicalisation and de radicalisation strategy.

Responding to a supplementary in the Lower House, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju said the government has adopted a series of strategies to tackle the spread of ISIS in the country.

He said a counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation strategy has been initiated and the government is planning to check the threat through cultural, education and employment activities.

In a written response, the other Minister of State for Home, Haribhai Parathibhai Chaudhary, said ISIS was trying to attract new recruits through a variety of means, especially the social media.

He said though the ISIS has not been able to attract many youths in India, its attempts are a concern for national security in the long run.

The intelligence and security agencies have been mandated to keep an eye on such youth who could become possible recruits of the terror organisation.

The government, he said, has banned 39 organisations under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. These include Babbar Khalsa International, Harkat-Ul-Mujahideen, United Liberation Front of Asom, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Students Islamic Movement of India and CPI-ML People’s War group.