We can meet any threat, even from Islamic State, says Rajnath Singh

Greater Noida: Amidst the growing attempts by Islamic State to lure youths into its fold, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the security agencies were capable of dealing with any threat posed by the terror group. “We have the capacity to meet any threat. We will face it,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here. The Home Minister’s comments came when asked about the Islamic State threat in the country. Last week, 14 youths were arrested by the NIA and other security agencies after they allegedly formed a module on the pattern of dreaded Islamic State to carry out strikes at vital installations. [caption id=“attachment_2603964” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Reuters[/caption] The simultaneous raids were carried out in five states of Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh where the suspects were arrested. They were part of a group named ‘Janood-ul-Khalifa-e-Hind’ (Army of Caliph of India), a terror group which has almost similar ideologies that of Islamic State. According to Indian intelligence agencies, a total of 23 Indians have so far joined the Islamic State of which six were reportedly killed in different incidents in Iraq-Syria. Among the 23 are two absconding members of the banned Indian Mujahideen who had gone from their hideouts in Pakistan. The dead were identified as Athif Vaseem Mohammad (Adilabad, Telangana), Mohammad Umar Subhan (Bangalore, Karnataka), Maulana Abdul Kadir Sultan Armar (Bhatkal, Karnataka), Saheem Farooque Tanki (Thane, Maharashtra), Faiz Masood (Bangalore, Karnataka) and Mohammad Sajid alias Bada Sajid (Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh). Around 150 Indians are under surveillance for their alleged online links with Islamic State. As many as 30 other Indians, who were radicalised by Islamic State elements, were prevented from travelling to the conflict zone in the Middle-East. Among those who are currently fighting for Islamic State include two youths from Kalyan in the outskirts of Mumbai, an Australia-based Kashmiri, one youth from Telangana, one from Karnataka, one Oman-based Indian and another Singapore-based Indian. On September 15, 2015, the UAE deported four Indians suspected to have links with Islamic State. The UAE had also sent back in September last year a 37-year-old woman Afsha Jabeen alias Nicky Joseph who was allegedly involving in recruiting youths for Islamic State. In January 2015, Salman Mohiuddin of Hyderabad was arrested when he was preparing to board a flight to Dubai on way to Syria via Turkey. There have been reports that some elements, who support the Islamic State, have posted messages in regional languages, including Hindi and Tamil. PTI