Online radicalisation has always been a matter of huge concern for India, but the fall of Assad regime in Syria is now acting as a force multiplier, keeping the investigation agencies on their toes. Over the last two weeks, India has re-strategised its approach to Syria.
The Union Home Ministry has asked agencies to depute more people to track the growing traffic online linked to the escalating conflict in West Asia. Data from the ministry shows around 10,000 URLs which had radical content have been blocked by the Centre in the first ten months of this year.
"Various social media handles are anyways scanned by the MHA, as the ministry has been designated as an agency to issue 'Take Down Notices' to remove unlawful content. But with recent developments in Syria, monitoring has become more some region centric," a senior official said.
The Multi Agency Centre which also works under MHA has highlighted that there has been a massive increase in traffic on internet relating videos and literature pertaining to Syria and strikes on Muslims by Israel. MAC has alerted states about these developments.
"The fall of Assad is being cited as a recruitment tool and youngsters are being made to believe that regimes can be overthrown by resistance and violence," said an official who tracks traffic online.
The Indian connection with Syria is also being projected again in chats which are being monitored.
A few years ago, many youngsters having affiliations with Indian Mujahideen had left for Syria to fight alongside Islamic State. Yasin Bhatkal, who headed the Indian Mujahideen before his arrest, had claimed that he had many friends in Syria who would help him escape. One of his closest aides in Syria was Sultan Armar, who recruited from many states in South India.
The Home Ministry, while providing data on dangers of online radicalisation to Parliament on Wednesday, said extensive use of cyber technology is the way to propagate radical ideology. The cyberspace is being monitored ceaselessly, It said.
Data till October shared by the Ministry shows that Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology or MeitY has issued directions for blocking 9,845 URLs which include radical content.
"The use of more secured messaging application like Signal, Telegram, Viber and dark web apart from WhatsApp with end-to-end encryption by radical elements to connect with other likeminded elements has proved a major challenge for security agencies in its efforts to counter radicalized individuals online," the home ministry told Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
"Cyber patrolling is being done on regular basis to identify and monitor content and entities which are targeting gullible, depressed or alienated youth. Websites and accounts involved in communal and anti-India propaganda affecting sovereignty and integrity of India are being identified and sent to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for taking action," Nityanand Rai, the junior home minister, said.
Currently, apart from the state police, the NIA is investigating 67 cases relating to online radicalisation, in connection with which 325 people have been arrested, 336 charge-sheeted and 63 convicted so far.
