New Delhi: Amid reports that some Indian young boys might have joined the Islamic State to fight against the Shia government in Iraq, the Intelligence Bureau has cautioned the home ministry that the Iraq conflict might lead to trouble between the Shia and Sunni communities within India.
The intelligence agency has stressed on the immediate need for the Centre to sensitise the Special Branches of states that have a high density of Muslim population.
The intelligence note says that states like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka etc need to be “sensitised immediately’’ as there was a clear division among Shia and Sunni religious leaders on supporting either the IS, which is primarily a Sunni outfit, or the Maliki regime.
“Some clerics, both Sunni as well as Shia are already mobilising support from their followers for either of the two factions fighting in Iraq. The state police, particularly their special branch, should keep a close watch on such activities so that the situation does not go out of control,’’ the intelligence report adds.
Intelligence sources said that there was a possibility of subversive elements recruiting more boys for the terror outfit from Maharashtra’s Marathwada region.
“There are reports that a number of terror sleeper cells have become active in the Marathwada region and the state ATS as well as the local SIB has already been briefed about it in detail. These agencies are already drawing up a list of missing youth from the region,’’ a senior intelligence official said.
Sources said the intelligence agency has already asked the Special Branches to keep track of men who suddenly go missing from their states and launch an immediate investigation into such matters.
Intelligence agencies suspect that even though initial reports suggested that only four boys might have joined the Islamic State the actual figure could be much higher of those involved in jihad in Iraq.
