New Delhi, May 14: The recent announcement by the Islamic State that it has set up the Wilayah of Hind in Jammu and Kashmir comes in the lines of the outfit announcing the Global Islamic Council.
The ISIS claimed that it has established a new province in India following clashes between terrorists and security forces in Kashmir on May 10. The announcement was made by the terror group through its news agency, Amaq.
ISIS did not elaborate on the branch's geographical remit as it mentioned the name of its new branch in a low-key announcement.The announcement of the new branch is seen as part of ISIS' strategy to give the impression of strengthening its global affiliations following the territorial losses in the Middle East. It was in January last year that the Jammu and Kashmir police had said for the first time that the outfit has entered into the Valley. Four terrorists, including a top operative of the outfit, Dawood Ahmad Sofi were killed in an encounter at Sirigufwara, Anantnag district that month. The police had said that these terrorists were affiliated to the ISJK. In the month of November 2017, the outfit had made an announcement in its mouthpiece, Amaq about its intentions in the Valley. It had claimed that its operatives had killed a policeman and wounded another. In the month of November 2017, the outfit had made an announcement in its mouthpiece, Amaq about its intentions in the Valley. It had claimed that its operatives had killed a policeman and wounded another. During its probe the NIA had relied on the intercepts of the ISIS terrorists discussing among themselves, about how one of their men were killed. Chatting under the name Al-Qarar, the members also called for more strikes in the Valley. The channel claimed to be the official Telegram channel of ISJK... (ISJK) has claimed that Mugees Ahmad alias Khattab, R/O Parimpora Srinagar, who got killed in a shootout in Zakura area of Srinagar, was the first militant of the organisation, the communication stated. Another incident suggesting the presence of the outfit came out following the killing of one Mugees Ahmad Mir. He was killed in the Valley and the ISIS was quick to claim that he was their man. At first, the agencies did not buy the claim. However the events leading up to his death at Zakura and the subsequent funeral made it clear that he was an ISIS man. The talk of the ISIS and Kashmir dates back to 2013 when the outfit made its big announcement. While speaking of establishing the Caliphate, it also spoke about the Global Islamic Council. The Global Islamic Council comprises several places at which the Caliphate was to be established. The long term goal was to create an Islamic nation and establish the Caliphate. When the chief of the ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Bhagdadi spoke about the Global Islamic Council, he had marked two places in India which was to be part of it. They included both Kashmir and Gujarat. Since then the ISIS operatives in India have been working towards that goal and has made several attempts to set up shop in both Gujarat and Kashmir. In June 2016, the NIA had arrested an operative called Sirajuddin. In its chargesheet, the NIA speaks about the modules that the ISIS sought to set up in various parts of the country including Kashmir. The investigation conducted by the NIA suggests that Sirajjuddin and his associates had planned on carrying out a series of attacks. There was a two pronged plan. While one was to undertake lone wolf attacks the other was to establish the Caliphate in Kashmir. If one looks closely at the map designed by the ISIS, it has portions of Gujarat in it and the whole of Jammu and Kashmir. Sirajjudin who makes references to this feels that it is only through Kashmir that they can establish the outfit. He felt that Kashmir must be governed not by India or Pakistan, but the Islamic Caliphate as is the claim of the outfit in Syria. Interestingly in one of the chats he shares an image of a note in the 20 denomination. The note had the letters, ISIS Welcomes you to Kashmir. This according him should be the official currency of Kashmir. Sirajuddin in a chat with one UAE operative says that he has managed to gather 300 recruits for the ISIS.