Terror outfit Islamic State (IS) has trapped into its web "very few youth" from India, the government told Lok Sabha today, adding that both the central and state governments have launched various programmes for their deradicalisation.
"The international terrorist outfit, viz., Islamic State (IS), Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daesh, uses both positive and negative imagery to attract recruits from across the world."
"However, they have influenced or attracted very few youth from India," Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
Known by different names, the IS has set up a caliphate under Abu Bakr-al Baghdadi.
The existing legal provisions are effective instrumentalities to combat offences relating to terrorist financing and money laundering, he said.
"Various programmes are being undertaken by the central and state governments to deal with the issues of counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation," Ahir said.
The minister said incidents of protests or demonstrations against award of capital punishment to terrorists and killing of terrorists in encounters with security forces have been reported from some states.
"Police and public order being state subjects, the state governments concerned are required to take appropriate action against such elements as per relevant provisions of law," Ahir said.
In reply to another question, he said the National Investigation Agency and Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu Police have registered cases to probe the alleged links of Indian youth with ISIS and have arrested 54 persons so far.
"Some persons have been reported missing from some parts of Kerala, who are suspected to have joined terrorist outfits like ISIS, but their links have not yet been established. Kerala Police has registered nine cases in this connection," the Minister said.
The terrorist outfit, ISIS, is using various platforms to propagate its ideology and to attract recruits from across the world, Ahir said.
"The intelligence and security agencies maintain a close watch to identify potential recruits. Various programmes are being undertaken by the central and state governments to deal with the issue of counter radicalisation and deradicalisation," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
