Islamic State flags waved in Srinagar again
The IS flags surfaced within the Jama Masjid compound itself
By : Yusuf Jameel
Update: 2014-10-18 03:39 GMT
Srinagar: Even though the police had ahead of the Friday congregations fanned out plainclothesmen in the volatile old Srinagar particularly the area around historic Grand Mosque to keep AN eye on “infringed elements”, masked youth appeared at the scene with Islamic State flags.
The IS flags surfaced within the Jama Masjid compound itself and the youth who spread them were also chanting pro- Islamic state and pro al-Qaeda slogans. At a distance members of the local police force and CRPF stood guard as part of beefed up security arrangement against possible repeat of stone-pelting pastime of local youth.
Later two masked youth, who held the IS flag before the glare of cameras ,were quickly surrounded by nearly a dozen locals, mainly youth, apparently to ensure no harm comes to them. Soon the security personnel swung into action and chased them into nearby dark alleys.
No serious attempt was, however, made to capture the masked youth carrying the IS flag, witnesses said.
The IS and al-Qaeda flags have appeared at gatherings in Srinagar earlier also, the phenomenon termed as “serious development” by security agencies particularly the Army. However, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, shrugged it off saying it was being done by some stupid youth and that IS or al-Qaeda as such has no presence in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, ruling National Conference has said it was seriously considering filing a defamation suit against Opposition National Panthers’ Party chief, Bhim Singh, for alleging that it (NC) is being hoisting of IS flags in Kashmir.