Lot of interest in Islamic State found in Assam: police

Guwahati: Assam police is keeping a close watch on extremist militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, which has generated a lot of interest in the state going by the "hits in the internet photos of ISIS", state DGP Khagen Sarma said on Tuesday.

Noting that Assam has religious fundamentalists, the DGP today said that "a lot of interest has been generated in Assam in the ISIS. Hits in the internet photos of ISIS is very high in Assam".

On being reminded that the hits on the internet may be out of curiosity about the ISIS, he said, "That kind of interest is a very small percentage".

Recent media reports quoting the findings of a national survey by an intelligence agency showed the second largest volume of internet traffic related to ISIS was from Assam after Jammu and Kashmir.

Sarma, however, said while responding to queries on the global terror outfit's threat to the state or its appeal in the state, that he had not actually seen anybody from the ISIS in Assam so far.

The DGP also said that the Assam Police CID and the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) were monitoring the activities of the ISIS and if they have formed any cyber cells for recruitment.

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