Assam Has Second Highest Interest in IS Activities, Police on Watch

Guwahati: After Jammu and Kashmir, Assam has the most interest in the extremist militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the Assam police are now keeping a strict watch on internet traffic in the state.

A national survey by an intelligence agency has showed the second largest volume of internet traffic related to ISIS was from Assam, after Jammu and Kashmir.

The state police say it is not just casual interest.

"That kind of interest is a very small percentage," said state Director General of Police Khagen Sarma. "Hits in the internet photos of ISIS is very high in Assam".

Responding to queries on the global terror outfit's appeal in the state, Mr Sarma, however, said there are no ISIS members in Assam so far.

But the state Criminal Investigation Department and the National Technical Research Organisation were monitoring the activities of the ISIS and checking whether any cyber cells have been opened for recruitment.

The NTRO is a technical intelligence agency under the National Security Adviser in the Prime Minister's Office.

According to Assam police sources, people from the urban areas in Assam are accessing more ISIS content on internet. This is unlike the national trend, in which most clicks come from rural areas. Guwahati, sources said, was among the top five Indian cities in terms of internet access to ISISI content.

The growing number of people from Assam accessing ISIS material on the internet also corresponds to the growth of Islamic Jihadi network in the state, Mr Sarma said.

Over the last few months, 24 Jihadi terror suspects have been arrested in the state and a massive amount of arms and explosives have been seized.

"There is a design to it," the DGP told NDTV. "While the ethnic insurgency is at bay, fundamentalist forces might try to fill the vacuum. We have input. Thus we are keeping a strong vigil. The arrests indicate that Jihadi groups are setting up module."

Both Jamat-Ul-Mujahidden of Bangladesh (JMB) and the Harkat-Ul-Mujahideen (HUM) have opened up sleeper cells in the state, he said.