Against the backdrop of the Paris terror attacks, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said India is alert to the threat posed by terrorist group ISIS even as the Centre asked State Governments to review the activities of the outfit and neutralise their possible evil designs.
“ISIS is not a threat to any particular country but to the entire world. India is alert about ISIS,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The Home Ministry advisory said, “Available inputs about ISIS activities should be immediately reviewed to identify plans, target areas vulnerable to attack and appropriate action to be taken to neutralise any potential threat”.
The Home Ministry advised the State Governments to beef up security at vulnerable areas, including all foreign embassies and consulates.
India has also issued a security advisory asking all its nationals in Paris to be vigilant in crowded places and while travelling. The Indian Embassy in Paris has also advised its nationals to monitor those advisories issued by the Interior Ministry of the French Republic and French Prefecture of Police. “For those undertaking travel to France, they are advised to be in touch with their respective airlines/travel agencies. As per the travel information issued by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, border checks are being instituted. Airports and railway links continue to operate,” it added.
“The Embassy requests all Indian nationals in Paris to inform the Embassy on the given number if they have any news about the safety of Indian nationals,” it stated.
Inputs from Intelligence agencies here suggest that around 20-odd Indians are currently fighting for ISIS in Iraq and Syria. They include two youths from Kalyan on the outskirts of Mumbai, an Australia-based Kashmiri, one youth from Telangana, one from Karnataka, one Oman-based Indian and another Singapore-based Indian.
The Home Ministry said though the ISIS has not been able to establish any significant presence in India, its success in radicalising some youths, attracting certain sections of local population or Indian diaspora to participate in its activities or the possibility of piggy backing on terrorist groups operating in India, have opened up the possibility of ISIS sponsored terrorist action on Indian territory.
The precautionary measures are being taken as terrorists of banned lashker-e-Taiba (leT) and Indian Mujahideen have been conspiring to target foreign missions in India. The possibility of the leT and IM joining hands with the ISIS to carry out attacks in India cannot be ruled out, an official said.
The Centre has ordered heightened security in diplomatic missions, especially those of France, US, UK, Germany, Russia, Australia, Turkey and Israel, in the wake of series of terror attacks by ISIS in Paris.
The Home Ministry said the recent multiple terror attacks in Paris, clearly indicate the intention of the outfit (ISIS) to expand the area of terror action beyond the core area of Iraq and Syria.
“It is therefore necessary that security establishment is kept on high alert to prevent any untoward incident,” the advisory maintained.
last year, a youth from Kalyan had returned home after spending about six-months with ISIS. He was arrested upon arrival in Mumbai. 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 involved 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. As many as 17 young men, mostly from Telangana, have been prevented from travelling to Syria, ostensibly to join ISIS.