A militant for the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), holds an ISIL flag and a weapon on a street in the city of Mosul, Iraq, on June 23, 2014.
The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) radical group may be recruiting the poor in India for its war in Iraq and Syria, Indian sources have said.
Sources were quoted by CNN-IBN on Tuesday that the terror outfit, which has already killed thousands in Iraq in a deadly pursuit to establish a caliphate, is recruiting poor Muslims in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Jammu and Kashmir.
The security agencies say that more than 100 Indian men could have already joined the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Iraq.
The terror group is radicalizing poor Muslims through online videos, they say.
The sources add that an Indian militants wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) could be recruiting for the ISIL and that these recruits could be used to strike terror in India once the war in Iraq and Syria ends.
The NIA is currently preparing a dossier on ISIL activities in India.
It all began with four Kalyan boys taking a trip to Iraq and then disappearing. Soon similar reports came in from families in Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu.
Most disappearances were preceded by a letter begging forgiveness from family but expressing the desire to join the cause of war.
The NIA says there is no clear indicator of how many boys have joined the ISIL but the recruitment drive is on for at least a year now.
ISIL is currently focusing on Iraq and Syria but its idea of a greater caliphate includes India and several videos have been uploaded on YouTube exhorting Indians to join the cause.
Investigators say that the man behind the digital mask could be Indian Mujahideen's Sultan Abdul Kadir Armar, a resident of Bhatkal in Karnataka.
In Tamil Nadu, men wearing T-shirts supporting the ISIL were recently arrested.
An Indian-origin Singapore national has allegedly joined ISIL in Syria. Haja Fakhruddin has not been in touch with his Cuddalore-based family since March.
With recent arrests of Indian terrorists, Indian agencies were upbeat about their fight against terror but the worry now is if Indians have indeed joined ISIL, they might use the new techniques and weapons to strike terror in India.
SHI/SHI
