After Paris, Indian agencies scramble to review ISIS policy

[Zarvan]

NEW DELHI: New Delhi's declaration of "resolute support" to France in its war on the Islamic State (ISIS) may coincide with a fresh review of the threat posed by the outfit in India, especially in light of its capacity to unleash synchronized, high-casualty strikes like in Paris.

Even as the Paris terror attacks force the Indian security establishment to upgrade the ISIS threat to a higher level, a counter-strategy to the terror outfit will also be accordingly revised, intelligence sources told TOI.

A senior intelligence official said ISIS, having successfully executed an attack of such magnitude in a key European city perceived to be highly secure, would have received a big boost to its confidence. "It will obviously try to score further with more such spectacular strikes...any city can be targeted...India too must anticipate this threat and accordingly review its security set-up," he added.

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Sources said India has thrown its weight behind France as it bombs ISIS territory to avenge the 13/11 attacks, just as it expects the latter and other countries to support it against terror perpetrated here by Pakistan-sponsored jihadi outfits.

Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju, while addressing an event at the French embassy here on Monday to mourn the 13/11 victims, assured the terror-struck nation of all forms of assistance to deal with IS. "We share your pain in this hour of tragedy and stand with you...in ensuring that such assaults on humanity do not recur anywhere," he said.

READ ALSO: High alert across India; security in foreign missions tightened

Though a senior functionary said the nature and extent of the assistance was being discussed with the French authorities, sources indicated that it may include intelligence sharing as well as online tracking of its sympathizers.

Rijiju on Monday stressed on the need to step up cooperation in intelligence and disrupt all forms of support to terror groups, which he named "a common threat". He called for a global strategy to combat terrorism and a suitable international legal framework.

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Until recently, Union home minister Rajnath Singh had sought to downplay the ISIS threat in the Indian context, saying that there were minimal cases of Indian youth being radicalized by its violent ideology or travelling to Iraq and Syria to fight its "global jihad". However, more recently, he told a visiting Russian delegation that ISIS was indeed "a matter of serious concern". The Paris attacks have only aggravated these concerns, forcing officials in charge of the counter-ISIS plan to go back to the drawing boards and devise firmer measures to deal with both active members of the group and those having a dalliance with the outfit on pro-ISIS social media forums.

So far, India has followed a relatively soft policy towards young men and women who were prevented from joining ISIS, as also those found to be in touch with ISIS recruiters on twitter, facebook or whatsapp. The pros and cons of this policy may be debated in view of the Paris strikes, as the Indian security establishment discusses tougher measures to deal with ISIS.


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After Paris, Indian agencies scramble to review ISIS policy - The Times of India