NEW DELHI: The Islamic State ’s claim that it had tracked and killed Cesare Tavella , an Italian aid worker , in Dhaka on Monday, has come as a surprise to the Indian intelligence agencies which believe the murder may have been carried out by elements subscribing to IS ideology and not necessarily its active members.

"There has been no concrete evidence of IS’ direct presence in Bangladesh. But the country does have a worrying proliferation of radical Islamic groups who pose a clear terror threat. The killing of the Italian may have been a lone-wolf attack by an IS sympathizer," a senior intelligence officer told TOI.

Incidentally, the officer did not rule out similar lone-wolf attacks in India, where a section of youth has been showing interest in IS content and posts online. Around 10 Indians are currently believed to be in ISIS territory in Syria/Iraq, while nearly 25-30 youth have been prevented from joining the outfit. Importantly, around 10 youth were deported to Kerala from UAE recently after they were found to be in touch with active ISIS members based in Syria.

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"There is a clear and present danger of a radicalized individual or group, swayed by IS’ ideology of violent extremism, attempting a lone-wolf attack in India. The agencies are alert and are pro-actively tracking such suspect elements, especially their online exchanges, and intervening the moment they betray signs of joining the IS or travelling to Iraq/Syria," said a senior officer.

The fact that such a lone-wolf attack has now happened in Dhaka has only made the threat of similar strikes in India, more credible. Interestingly, though the IS has purportedly owned up to killing the Italian aid worker, the Indian agencies are cautious about taking the claim at face value. The fact that the mode of killing was different from the IS "known" style of beheading its victims, has added to the suspicion of the agencies here that the attack may have been staged by elements brainwashed by IS ideology but not directly connected to it.