Recent busting of terror modules in India indicates that terrorist outfits have adopted new strategies to escape the clutches of security and law enforcement agencies. This trend is visible in terrorist groups including Islamic State, Khalistani outfits, and The Resistance Front (TRF), etc. To further their nefarious agenda, these outfits are undermining basic humanitarian values through the purposeful usage of juveniles in their evil designs.
The groups now also have foreign-based handlers using various social media platforms including Instagram and Facebook to radicalise potential recruits.
Investigations indicate that juveniles are easy prey to online radicalisation and can be used as highly motivated and loyal overground workers for terror activities. It is the conscious attempt of Pakistan-based terror handlers to focus on targeting juveniles for their vulnerability. Terror handlers identify these juveniles online and cyber-engage them to build rapport and trust.
At times, Pakistan handlers also directly contact these juveniles on WhatsApp and start communication. Further, some juveniles in Kashmir valley were also being supplied with narcotics in an attempt to link them with the narcotics terror network.
Such disturbing trends are being observed in other parts of the world as well. It is emerging that terrorist handlers are using juvenile boys keeping in mind multiple factors, including less severity in punishment, an easy way to evade the radar of intelligence agencies in comparison to seasoned players, their tech savviness, etc.
While busting a module led by Basit Kalam Siddiqi from Varanasi (October 2022), central intelligence agencies found that around 4 to 5 juveniles were part of his (Basit Kalam’s) pro-Islamic State telegram channel namely ‘The Caravan of Desert’. They were networking with ISIS cadres/sympathisers across the globe and intended mass attacks by disseminating IED-making manuals through Telegram channels.
Similarly, during a nationwide search operation by various state police agencies against Islamic State cadres and sympathisers in India (July 2022), around 7 to 8 juveniles were detained from various states.
Investigations into recent terror attacks in Punjab also revealed an emerging trend of utilisation of juvenile boys for execution of these attacks. It is observed that abroad-based handlers talent spot these boys physically as well as through social media and motivate them to work for them in lieu of money and fame. Young boys from this age group are being deliberately selected for execution of terror attacks by gangsters, as they are liable for a minor punishment.
Incidents wherein juveniles were utilised for execution of attacks in Punjab include the RPG attack at Punjab Police (Intelligence) Headquarters, Mohali (May 2022), murder of Pardeep Kataria, DSS follower (November 2022), and RPG attack at Sanjh Kendra near PS Sarhali, Distt Tarn Taran (December 2022).
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