New Delhi : The rapid increase in activities of the ISIS in India’s neighbourhood, particularly in Maldives and Bangladesh, has risen the fear of its impact in the country.
Security officials said that at least 250 Maldivians have left the archipelago to join ISIS and about four of them were reportedly killed while fighting in battle-fields in Iraq-Syria.
About 30 nationals of Maldives have returned home from the ISIS-held territories and reportedly active in the island nation.
Interestingly, about a month ago, Maldives capital Male saw a pro-ISIS rally featuring banners that called for the introduction of shariah law, reports PTI.
In an ISIS video released on August 31 on social media, three masked men threatened to kill the Maldives president Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom and to unleash a terrorist campaign on the islands. On Monday, Gayoom had a lucky escape while his wife and two others were injured when an explosion ripped through their speedboat as they returned home after preforming Haj in Saudi Arabia. Maldives has a population of about 3,45,000. In Bangladesh, security officials said, there has been rapid rise of ISIS in recent months. Terrorists belonging to ISIS were blamed for several recent killings, including murder of four bloggers this year. Officials said at least five Bangladeshi youths have joined the ISIS and fighting in Iraq-Syria. One of them is reportedly dead.
An Italian aid worker was shot dead in a high security diplomatic area in Dhaka last evening, the first attack in Bangladesh claimed by the dreaded Islamic State terror group. Bangladesh has a population of about 16 crore. “Both Maldives and Bangladesh are in India’s immediate neighbourhood and we are deeply concerned that rise of ISIS may have impact in India,” an official said. On September 15, UAE deported four Indians suspected to have links with ISIS and it is expected to send back the same number of people soon.
About a fortnight ago, the UAE had sent back a 37-year- old woman, Afsha Jabeen alias Nicky Joseph, who was allegedly involving in recruiting youths for ISIS.
