Indian youngsters have joined ISIS as a result of religious indoctrination through digital media. What is the purpose of ISIS? How could ISIS pose a threat to our nation’s internal security? (200 words) [UPSC 2015]
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ISIS and Its Mission:
1. What is ISIS?
2. Mission of ISIS:
Dangers to Internal Security:
1. Radicalization of Youth:
2. Terrorist Threats:
3. Social Disruption:
4. Security Challenges:
Recent Examples:
Conclusion: ISIS poses a significant threat to India’s internal security through its radicalizing influence, potential for domestic terrorism, and the challenge it presents to counter-terrorism efforts. Addressing these threats requires a robust strategy involving enhanced surveillance, counter-radicalization measures, and international cooperation.
Model Answer
Introduction
The rise of digital media has provided extremist groups like ISIS with new platforms for indoctrinating and recruiting youth globally, including in India. This poses significant challenges to national security and internal stability.
ISIS and Its Mission
ISIS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or Daesh, is a radical Islamist group that gained notoriety in 2014 by capturing key cities in Iraq and declaring a caliphate. Its mission is to establish a strict, Sunni Islamic state that rejects all political, social, and religious constructs deemed un-Islamic. ISIS promotes an ultra-conservative ideology that fuels radicalization and violence against those who oppose its views.
Threat to Internal Security
The digital presence of ISIS enables it to recruit individuals from India, leading to the risk of homegrown terrorism. Reports indicate that Indian youth, such as Areeb Majeed from Maharashtra, were radicalized online and subsequently joined ISIS, highlighting the potential for domestic terrorist threats (source: National Investigation Agency reports).
ISIS’s extremist ideology can exacerbate existing sectarian tensions in a diverse country like India. Online propaganda promoting divisive narratives can incite social unrest and communal violence, undermining the country’s social fabric (source: sociopolitical analyses).
The appeal of ISIS to marginalized groups can deepen social divisions, threatening national unity. For example, ISIS has attempted to exploit communal grievances among specific Muslim communities in India, potentially inciting divisive sentiments.
Haja Fakkurudeen Usman Ali, a Singaporean citizen of Indian origin, moved to Syria to join ISIS in 2014, bringing his family with him. His case illustrates how ISIS uses digital media for recruitment, reaching individuals from diverse backgrounds (source: international news reports).
Conclusion
The threat from ISIS, amplified by digital media, necessitates a comprehensive strategy that combines intelligence efforts and law enforcement with initiatives to counter radical ideologies. Promoting social harmony and addressing grievances that lead to radicalization is essential to preserving India’s pluralistic society and national security.