Why do Islamic terror groups prefer the convert to the original

Religious conversions have been a huge subject matter of debate off late. While the Constitution states that religious conversions are allowed unless forced, the problem today is that this issue has become increasingly linked to terror.

While various agencies dig out details on how religious conversions are increasingly linked to terror, there are several instances that one must take into account here.

The big question that would be answered here is that all terror and extremist groups prefer a convert to the original. Various case studies have shown that terror groups especially the Islamic State prefers a convert over an original.

This is precisely one of the main reason why several groups especially in Kerala have set up conversion factories to rope in both women and men. First and foremost the mainstream Muslim community does not treat the converts as equals. They are always seen as outsiders.

The second factor is that any religious convert is more often than not ostracised by his family. This leaves him or her out in the open and with no real support. This is when the terror groups comes into the picture. Groups such as the ISIS promise them a good life and even offer them financial support.

Further terror groups who preach a twisted form of Islam prefer converts as these persons are not well versed with the religion. You can sell anything to them and they would buy it. The mainstream Muslims are however well versed with the religion and are more likely to question the methods preached by the radical Islamic groups.

The various probes that have been conducted across the world and even in India have found that converts have joined terror groups due to the acceptability factor. In Kerala, in recent times there have been four such cases where these persons have converted to Islam and almost immediately joined the ISIS. Pallath Merrin Jacob and Sonia Sebastin, both girls from Kerala who were forcibly converted to Islam before being taken away to Afghanistan to be part of the ISIS. Bexen Vincent and Bestin Vincent too ended up with a similar fate.

The Hadiya probe too is trying to ascertain if there is a terror link to the case. Recently the NIA questioned two ISIS suspects in jail after it was found that they were in touch Shafin Jahan, the man who was married to Hadiya.

OneIndia News