Is ISIS at the 'doorstep'?
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan- October 5, 2014 2:00 am
A need has arisen to prevent the BBS – Muslim divide from becoming an inflection point for radicalization of youth, through indoctrination in the future, that could lead to penetration of ISIS in Sri Lanka, warns retired Brigadier of the Indian Army, Rahul Bhonsle.
Brigadier Bhonsle, who is based in New Delhi, is at present, the Director, Security Risks Asia – A Pan Asian security risk management agency and author of Countering Transnational Terrorism and Beyond Bin Laden - Global Terrorism Scenarios.
In an exclusive interview with Ceylon Today, the New Delhi-based retired Brigadier said "In Sri Lanka, the cleavage between the BBS and the Muslim community is an emerging fault line,...
...in case there is further expansion of the same it could provide groups as the Al Qaeda propaganda tools to indoctrinate a few youth. As of now, I do not think that the situation has come, but the under currents need to be carefully monitored."
He also noted that spread of terrorism is slow burning and at present, Sri Lanka is fairly secure but there is a need to prevent the BBS-Muslim divide from becoming an inflection point for radicalization of youth through indoctrination in the future. Also providing a facilitative network for terror agencies such as Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is bound to have an internal backlash which has to be avoided at all costs. He added that in his estimation, there are about 100 Indians and four Maldvians ISIS members being identified and killed in Syria, thus, ISIS is at the 'door step'.
"The Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have been able to indoctrinate a number of youth in the Indian Sub Continent. The London based International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence (ICSR) has identified in a December 2013 report some numbers (minimum - maximum) as follows from the region - Pakistan (7-330), China (6-100), Somalia (5-68), and Afghanistan (12-23). None have been identified from other countries but my estimate is for India (4-100) and Maldives (8-15). No input of Sri Lankans has been seen so far," he said.
He further said that the extremist groups exploit religious fault lines to advantage and are always on the lookout for expansion of their network by using dissensions in society.
"We need to remember that terrorism does not require widespread population support unlike militancy. Thus a few radicalized individuals are enough to carry out attacks.
"While as of now no known individual from Sri Lanka are known to have joined the ISIS there are confirmed reports of a few from India and Maldives. Plans by the AQIS and ISIS to indoctrinate some youth using the BBS fault line in the future, need to be monitored," he stressed.
Ayman al Zawahiri declared formation of the al Qaeda in the Indian Sub Continent (AQIS) in the beginning of September.
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan- October 5, 2014 2:00 am A need has arisen to prevent the BBS – Muslim divide from becoming an inflection point for radicalization of youth, through indoctrination in the future, that could lead to penetration of ISIS in Sri Lanka, warns retired Brigadier of the Indian Army, Rahul Bhonsle.
Brigadier Bhonsle, who is based in New Delhi, is at present, the Director, Security Risks Asia – A Pan Asian security risk management agency and author of Countering Transnational Terrorism and Beyond Bin Laden - Global Terrorism Scenarios.
In an exclusive interview with Ceylon Today, the New Delhi-based retired Brigadier said "In Sri Lanka, the cleavage between the BBS and the Muslim community is an emerging fault line,...
...in case there is further expansion of the same it could provide groups as the Al Qaeda propaganda tools to indoctrinate a few youth. As of now, I do not think that the situation has come, but the under currents need to be carefully monitored."
He also noted that spread of terrorism is slow burning and at present, Sri Lanka is fairly secure but there is a need to prevent the BBS-Muslim divide from becoming an inflection point for radicalization of youth through indoctrination in the future. Also providing a facilitative network for terror agencies such as Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is bound to have an internal backlash which has to be avoided at all costs. He added that in his estimation, there are about 100 Indians and four Maldvians ISIS members being identified and killed in Syria, thus, ISIS is at the 'door step'.
"The Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have been able to indoctrinate a number of youth in the Indian Sub Continent. The London based International Centre for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence (ICSR) has identified in a December 2013 report some numbers (minimum - maximum) as follows from the region - Pakistan (7-330), China (6-100), Somalia (5-68), and Afghanistan (12-23). None have been identified from other countries but my estimate is for India (4-100) and Maldives (8-15). No input of Sri Lankans has been seen so far," he said.
He further said that the extremist groups exploit religious fault lines to advantage and are always on the lookout for expansion of their network by using dissensions in society.
"We need to remember that terrorism does not require widespread population support unlike militancy. Thus a few radicalized individuals are enough to carry out attacks.
"While as of now no known individual from Sri Lanka are known to have joined the ISIS there are confirmed reports of a few from India and Maldives. Plans by the AQIS and ISIS to indoctrinate some youth using the BBS fault line in the future, need to be monitored," he stressed.
Ayman al Zawahiri declared formation of the al Qaeda in the Indian Sub Continent (AQIS) in the beginning of September.
