PTI
NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 18
Nearly 150 youths in the country are under the surveillance of security agencies for their alleged leanings towards dreaded terrorist group ISIS, responsible for the recent terror attacks in Paris.
According to a report prepared by the intelligence agencies, the 150 people, mostly from South India, are believed to be attracted to the ISIS and sympathetic to the group’s activities.
“Most of them are in regular contact with some ISIS activists through online. Hence, we have kept all them under surveillance of security forces,” an official privy to the development said.
So far, a total of 23 Indians have gone to ISIS hold areas in Iraq-Syria to fight for the terrorist group. Of them six were killed while one returned home in Mumbai.
30 other Indians, who were radicalised by ISIS elements, were also prevented from travelling to the conflict zone in the Middle-East.
Among those who are currently fighting for ISIS include two youth 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.
Among the six Indians, who fought alongside ISIS and got killed were three Indian Mujahideen terrorists, including Sultan Ajmer Shah and Bada Sajid, who had joined its ranks after being in Pakistan, two from Maharashtra and one from Telangana.
On September 15, the UAE deported four Indians suspected to have links with ISIS.
The UAE had also sent back in September a 37-year-old woman, Afsha Jabeen alias Nicky Joseph, who was allegedly involving in recruiting youths for ISIS.
In January, Salman Mohiuddin of Hyderabad was arrested at Hyderabad airport when he was preparing to board a flight to Dubai on way to Syria via Turkey.
