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Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
'Bedroom Jihadis' the new nuisance for security in J&K
Jammu: Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir are grappling with a new and insidious threat in the form of "bedroom jihadis" -- people who manipulate social media from the safety of their homes to spread misinformation and incite communal discord, officials said. This kind of enemy, far removed from the traditional armed terrorists, is at the heart of a sophisticated cross-border effort to destabilise the region, the officials said. An in-depth investigation has uncovered a network of social media handles, believed to be controlled by terror groups and their sympathisers in Pakistan, that have been actively intruding into local digital spaces, disseminating inflammatory content and propaganda with the clear objective of creating sectarian clashes and unrest in the Kashmir valley. "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 said. The trend emerged in 2017 but ended after an effective crackdown with curbs on the Internet post abrogation of the special status of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. After the successful completion of assembly elections last year, the "bedroom jihadis" have surfaced again, possibly with an aim to destablise the elected government and create a sense of unrest, the officials said. Security agencies have also uncovered a sophisticated and concerted effort by terror groups and their sympathisers operating from across the border to use social media platforms to incite sectarian clashes and destabilise the region. The investigation, which has been underway for several weeks, involved scrutinising thousands of social media posts, comments and private messages and its analysis provided compelling evidence of a direct link between these malicious online activities and handlers located in Pakistan. During Muharram days observed by the Shia community recently, there was tension between the two sects of the Muslim community over a post but effective handling by Srinagar police doused the fire before it could spread, the officials said. Former Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Kuldeep Khoda says the successful identification and disruption of this cross-border social media plot highlight the evolving nature of threats to security in Jammu and Kashmir. "While traditional terror activities remain a concern, the digital battlefield is increasingly becoming a front where external forces seek to destabilise the region by exploiting local tensions, which should be nipped in the bud," he feels.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Bedroom jihadis' emerge as threat in J&K: ‘Digital is the new battlefront'
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.
