How Jaish-e-Mohammad is Targeting Students for Radicalization in India

Investigations Uncover Jaish-e-Mohammad's New Strategy

New Delhi: Recent investigations into the Faridabad module have revealed that the militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) has infiltrated a medical institution, enlisting doctors to facilitate attacks within India.

This white-collar network has reportedly acquired over 2,500 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, intending to execute multiple attacks in and around the Delhi area.

Intelligence agencies have uncovered another alarming plot where JeM aims to penetrate educational institutions to radicalize students. The group is disseminating propaganda to recruit young boys, who would then propagate its ideology among peers.

An official noted that this strategy is part of JeM's long-term objectives.

Similar tactics have been employed by both JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan, and now they seek to replicate this model in India.

Targeting students at a young age for radicalization is a strategy that benefits these organizations in the long run. By the time these individuals reach their twenties or mid-twenties, they could be deeply radicalized and ready to carry out attacks nationwide.

Earlier this week, the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) apprehended a student in Mumbai suspected of being involved with a JeM module.

The accused, Ayan Shaikh, had been in Mumbai for six months, attempting to radicalize and recruit other young individuals into JeM.

He successfully radicalized two students, persuading them to leave the country for training to execute terror attacks, but the ATS intervened before the plan could unfold.

An official from the Intelligence Bureau indicated that such recruitment efforts are occurring across various states.

JeM understands that students are less likely to attract attention from security forces. This is a long-term strategy aimed at cultivating a substantial force of radicalized individuals.

The group is not rushing to recruit a large number of students; instead, it is taking a gradual approach, planning for the next five to ten years to ensure a steady influx of recruits for future operations.

Another official explained that the goal is not to assemble a large group of students in one location for planning attacks. The JeM learned from the Faridabad case that having too many individuals in a module increases the risk of detection. If a module exceeds three members, their communications become easier to monitor, and the likelihood of one member acting unpredictably rises, leading to potential exposure.

In this student-focused module, the organization prefers that recruits operate either as lone wolves or in pairs, minimizing the risk of detection by security agencies. Ideally, they aim for a lone wolf approach.

In this scenario, an individual either selects a target independently or receives instructions from a handler.

Officials emphasize the importance of preventing this recruitment strategy. If JeM successfully builds a cadre of students over time, it could pose a significant threat. The lack of urgency for these recruits to act immediately allows the group ample time to radicalize them.

If these individuals undergo radicalization for three to five years, it becomes exceedingly difficult to deprogram them, resulting in a high level of commitment to their cause.