Torching a flash on ‘Radicalization’, Rajnath Singh calls on to unite to identify and defuse terror modules operating globally

NewsBharati    15-Mar-2018
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New Delhi, March 15: “Radicalization of youth is one of the biggest challenging problems the world is facing currently,” said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing the counter-terrorism conference titled ‘Changing Contours of Global Terror’. 

Addressing the conference, Rajnath Singh continued highlighting the menace of ‘global terrorism’. He said that some countries are providing sponsorship and safe havens to terrorists and this has further played a major role in the phenomenal growth of terrorism globally.

"Several countries in the world have identified the problem and have taken measures to check and control the process of radicalization and I am happy to state that India has timely busted some modules that were planning to orchestrate terrorist attacks on her soil," he added.

 

Singh said in the recent years, perception of global terrorism has undergone a massive makeover with the rise of armed terror groups especially in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa. "Any effort to counter the activities of terrorist groups carries the danger of placing the victim nation in direct confrontation with the host nation and its resources," he said.

"This phenomenon could be attributed to the diminishing control in the terror space of the Al-Qaeda leadership, which just a decade ago was the face of terrorism. The shift of AQ Network from the Middle East to South Asia is a phenomenon, which is of serious concern to India," he said.

“It has enabled global terrorist groups to use the infrastructure and terrain knowledge of local outfits for launching attacks in countries, despite having no presence in the area," he added.

The government has kept a keen watch on the growth of ISIS and their ways of using social media as a key tool for ideological indoctrination, recruitment and networking by targeting young generation and intellectual Muslims, he added.

"The potential threat posed by the ISIS is large scale radicalization of Muslim youths throughout the world, rise in 'lone-wolf' and terror attacks by returnee foreign fighters to their home countries. The terror attacks in Australia and France are telling examples of such threat," he said.

Further Singh said ISIS propaganda has significantly altered jihadi discourse in India, which, so far, was rooted in grievances against the Indian state and society.

 

"I am, however, happy that Indian social fabric has not been affected by the emergence of the Islamic State and I am sure this will not have any further impact in our country," he said. Rajnath Singh mentioned saying that India has consistently taken steps to intensify and strengthen international cooperation through various means. Emergence of India at the global level is also being challenged by the terrorist groups, due to its vibrant economy and plural character.

Terrorism, in all forms, including, Left Wing Extremism and Insurgency, poses a challenge on the sovereignty of India and the country already faces a serious challenge due to relentless efforts of Pakistan-sponsored anti-India Islamist groups like the LeT, JeM, HUJI and Hizbul Mujahideen, he said.