Posters of World Trade Centre falling a hit in Kerala's Malabar region

India

oi-Vicky

New Delhi, Nov 27: Posters of the World Trade Centre being brought down are quite a common sight in several homes in Kerala especially in the Malabar region. This should sum up the extent of the problem of radicalisation in Kerala, the only state to set up an exclusive monitoring cell for ISIS related activity.

In addition to this the police and also the intelligence bureau have reported RIP messages posted on the walls when Osama Bin Laden was killed.

Further a special prayer for Ajmal Kasab the day he was hanged just adds to the worry that the state of Kerala faces every single day. Today the youth of Kerala are the most preferred recruits for the ISIS as they not just get a recruit, but an educated one too. Remember Kerala is the state with the highest literacy rate.

Keralites working abroad are the target:

Kerala has always had this direct connect with Saudi Arabia. There are nearly 3 million persons from Kerala who are working in West Asia.

The constant browsing of social media sites has made several of them targets of the ISIS. It is well known that Indian recruits are not asked to fight the battle for the ISIS. The ISIS is instead happy to rope in Indians to run a tech cell or do the odd jobs.

The Kerala police at times appear helpless. It is not possible for only policing to take care of the problem. We need more cooperation from the relatives and parents of the youth who need to monitor these youth, the police say.

Most of these recruits from Kerala are highly educated and have mastered the art of wiping out evidence. In such a scenario it is human intelligence that would help and who better than the parents and relatives to provide the same.

The Kerala police are talking to parents and relatives to report any suspicious activity immediately. The steps ought to be taken now are preventive, a senior police officer says. There is no point in studying the case after the youth has landed in Syria as this becomes more academic in nature, the officer also adds.

Wahabism and politics:

There is a deadly cocktail of both Wahabism and politics which never lets the problem of radicalisation in Kerala die down. Going by the confessional statements of Bengaluru blast accused, T Nazir among others it becomes amply clear several politicians have offered blessings for radical activities.

The problems are immense during the election as the divide between the two communities is what politics thrives on in several parts of the state.

Further over the years, the entry of the Wahabi scholars from Saudi has largely gone unchecked. The funds are pouring in and religious places are being built which preach only the Wahabi ideology, intelligence bureau officials point out. This is a deadly cocktail threatening the social fabric of some parts of the state and there needs to be political will to deal with the problem the officer also adds.

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