Islamic State lures Indian youth via web

New Delhi: The government has sounded its first terror alert about the rise of IS with intelligence brass warning that a large number of youth in India are getting radicalised through Internet and the state security apparatus must urgently develop capabilities to interdict Internet traffic.

The Union home ministry has cited the case of a Mumbai youth, who is planning to carry out “thermite’’ bomb strike against American interests in India to show solidarity with the IS. The intelligence agencies have asked all state governments to tighten security arrangements for American, British and Australian interests in India, particularly the embassies and High Commissions and also sensitise their diplomats towards the threat.

According to intelligence agencies, Anees Shakeel Ahmed Ansari, a science graduate arrested by the Mumbai police, had collected details from the Internet about “flame throwers’’ and “thermite’’ bombs.

“There are now several cases of educated young boys having been radicalised over the Internet,” the home ministry has warned.

The MHA has said that the rise of IS has significantly deepened the threat from such radicalised youths of impressionable ages, who are being roped in to carry out terror strikes in their “home countries’’.

Annes is learnt to have told the sleuths that he was aware that a lone-wolf attack may not do much harm, but it would send a global message of support for IS.

However, the MHA has warned that such lone-wolf attacks, similar to the recent one witnessed on Canadian Parliament are being planned in other parts and states must be adequately equipped.