| Wide use of internet by militants in J&K worries security grid | | Facebook, YouTube likely to come on Home Ministry radar | |
Peerzada Ummer
Srinagar, Oct 14: The Union Home Ministry is likely to monitor social networking sites, particularly Facebook and YouTube, in J&K. General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the army's Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, Lt Gen Satish Kumar Dua, said the youth in Kashmir Valley, who join militant ranks, get their training from the internet. "The local militants haven't gone across for training. They are not trained well and most of their training is on-job. Rest of the training they pick up from the internet," Lt Gen Dua told reporters in Awantipora on Tuesday. The army commander's statement came in the backdrop of investigations launched by various security agencies in Kashmir about the use of internet by the militants. As per reports, the militants have been found using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Recently, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzzafar Wani sent shock waves across the security grid when he uploaded his 2-minute video on the internet, asking the youth to join militancy in Kashmir. There has never been such an open use of internet by the militants in Kashmir. "They are using it as a tool and as a weapon at the same time," said a senior police official, adding that social networking sites are dominated these days either by militants or by their sympathizers in Kashmir. Sources said the Union Home Ministry has already taken up the matter with the state government. Officials said the state government has apprised the Centre about the measures taken by state's secret agencies to arrest the serious trend. Meanwhile, if reports are to be believed, a thorough scrutiny of social media is in the offing in J&K and YouTube and Facebook would be closely monitored by the agencies. Sources said the security agencies have begun scanning email accounts and popular social media sites including Facebook, Whatsapp, Skype and other applications. "Social networking sites require constant vigil. I am confident that youth in the Valley cannot be impressed or influenced by ISIS or any other radical organization, but we are keeping vigilant on social networking," a senior police official told Early Times while pleading for anonymity. Notably, the Lashker-e-Toiba outfit is reportedly using a special internet application for its operations in Kashmir.
The application allows the user to make phone calls and send text messages to other users who have the same application installed on their devices. |
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