‘Bedroom jihadis' emerge as threat in J&K: ‘Digital is the new battlefront'

Hindustan Times

3 days ago

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir claim to have uncovered a new kind of threat, quite unlike the armed terrorist but emblematic of the times. 'Bedroom jihadis' — termed thus for they use social media from the safety of their homes to incite communal discord — form the nub of a renewed cross-border effort from Pakistan to destabilise the region, officials told news agency PTI. "After years of fighting armed terrorists, security agencies have been facing this hidden enemy in which these new-age jihadis use computers and smartphones," an official was quoted as saying.(Pixabay)
A network of social media handles controlled by terror groups in Pakistan was pinpointed in a special investigation. They have been intruding local digital spaces and fueling them with inflammatory content and propaganda.
"After years of fighting armed terrorists, security agencies have been facing this hidden enemy in which these new-age jihadis use computers and smartphones to wage war from just about anywhere, spreading rumours and influencing youths," an official in the know of the developments was quoted as saying by PTI.
A similar trend emerged eight years ago, in 2017, but died down in the crackdown after the abrogation of special status of the state, and its convresion to UT, in 2019.
But the "bedroom jihadis" have surfaced again after the assembly elections last year, officials told PTI. Their aim is possibly yo destablise the elected government, the officials said. As part of the investigation over several weeks, security agencies scrutinised thousands of posts, comments and private messages.
An instance thay cite was the recent Muharram, observed by the Shia community, when there was tension between the two sects of the Muslim community — the other being Sunni — over a social media post.
Another was when personal details of Kashmiri Pandit migrants appointed under a central rehabilitation scheme were leaked. The police had arrested a local man who had allegedly been directed from across the border to do this.
"Anyone sitting on his bed or sofa can plant fake news in one of the thousand chat groups, and the entire Union Territory can plunge into communal divide," said an official involved with the probe.
Many X (formerly Twitter) users have created fake accounts to spread fake narratives being peddled from across the border, the official further told PTI. "It is like finding a needle in a haystack, but nevertheless effective policing has led to blocking or nabbing such elements," another official said. The reach of these chat groups and social media posts extends beyond Jammu and Kashmir, with participation from youngsters in Delhi and abroad, he added.
"The digital battlefield is increasingly becoming a front where external forces seek to destabilise the region by exploiting local tensions," former director general of police, J&K, Kuldeep Khoda told the news agency.