Al-Qaeda's video 'Saffron Terror' urges members to target Hindu festivals

Intelligence agencies on vigil over fears Sabarimala, Kumbh Mela, Thrissur Pooram

Al-Qaeda's Indian subcontinent unit has launched a video titled 'Saffron Terror', the contents of which include morphed images and clips that are communally charged, as reported on TOI.  

The propaganda video has several false depictions portraying 'Hindu extremism'. In the first part of the video, the group urges its members to target Hindus. Intelligence sources reveal Al-Qaeda is engaging its operatives in India to target religious places and stoke communal tension.

Intelligence agencies are on vigil following the release of the video. The agencies are keeping a tab on the movements of a sleeper cell of the Qaeda-affiliate headed by UP resident Sanual Haq. Once the origin of the video is verified, an FIR will be filed, a source said. Al-Qaeda's south Asia unit has of late been very active as far as developments in India are concerned. IB sources suspect that the video may have generated out of a module of the group based out of Uttar Pradesh.

Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent usually abbreviated as AQIS, is an Islamist militant organisation, which aims to fight the governments of Pakistan, India, Myanmar and Bangladesh in order to establish an Islamic state. The militant group has also stated its intentions to attack American targets in the Indian Subcontinent. 

The video comes at a time when Islamic terror outfits such as ISIS have started spreading propaganda materials. Recently, the Kerala police have issued an alert to the Thrissur railway station on the possible poisoning of Sabarimala Temple pilgrims by the Islamic State terrorists. As reported on Outlook, sources in the police have confirmed the authenticity of the alert sent by the Kerala police. However, the reason for the supposed caution is not verified by the police.

Taking cognisance of the matter, Kerala police has increased surveillance. Some officers confirmed to The New Indian Express that ISIS had sent 50 messages so far through ‘Telegram’ messenger. 

Several media reports have emerged about a possible war against India by targeting Indian festivals. A Malayalam audio clip was transmitted over Telegram Messenger from Afghanistan and its voice belonged to Rashid Abdullah, the leader of the Kasaragod IS module who had left to join Islamic State in Afghanistan. The clip calls for conducting terror attacks on crowds in Kumbh Mela and Thirssur Pooram, as reported on Outlook.

Taking cognisance of the matter, Kerala police has increased surveillance. Some officers confirmed to The New Indian Express that ISIS had sent 50 messages so far through ‘Telegram’ messenger.