NIA detain people after conducting searches at two places in connection with an IS module case, in Hyderabad

NEW DELHI: While the identity and affiliations of the Colombo bombers are being verified, the style and scale of the blasts point to Islamic State-type attacks that are a major threat across the globe with Indian intelligence too tracking several plots including one that was busted in 2016 where two dozen persons were close to executing serial blasts.

The country-wide operation was the first time that major action on such a scale was carried out against IS cells in India. This operation shed light on how IS had been quietly sinking its roots in India. From tapping youth on Facebook to radicalising them through online sermons - IS was vigorously expanding its reach.

The IS influence showed up first in 2014 when some Mumbai youth left the country for Iraq/Syria to fight for IS. The terror group has its share of influence among a section of Muslims of India, given that many tech-savvy and smartphone-owning youngsters are exposed in some way or the other to IS propaganda online. Indian agencies, including some police forces like Hyderabad police which has its cyber wing clued in to social media groups created and managed by IS head-hunters, started early by tracking online activities and exchanges aimed at radicalising young Muslims here.

Online policing and arrests of radicalised youth across several states had a deterrent effect on those experimenting with radical Islam by following IS activities online and trying to find ways to go to Iraq/Syria or planning lone-wolf attacks here. They realised that they were under watch.

The action continues and in the last two days, NIA and intelligence agencies carried out raids to pick up IS-inspired operatives. While one, identified as Mohammed Gufran from UP, was arrested, four suspects were detained in Hyderabad and Maharashtra.

In the last four years, anti-terror units and intelligence agencies, multiple sources said, carried out around 25 operations and half of them were pre-emptive strikes against cells which were radicalised and readied to carry out terror attacks. The use of social media was significant. These busted cells were located in Delhi, UP, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Hyderabad and Karnataka.

