ISI, terror groups attempt to exploit online platforms for recruitment efforts in J&K

Srinagar, Oct 20: In a concerning shift in tactics, Pakistan’s intelligence agency and terror groups are trying to ramp up recruitment efforts in Jammu and Kashmir through digital platforms, as direct interactions become increasingly difficult due to heightened security measures, officials said on Sunday.
These groups are now using social media platforms and messaging apps such as X, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Telegram to target vulnerable youth, according to an official.
They are using fake profiles and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to evade detection.
Once identified, these individuals are drawn into private groups where they are exposed to manipulative content, including fabricated videos depicting atrocities allegedly committed by security forces, the officials said.
This strategy is employed by handlers linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to incite hatred and foster a narrative conducive to recruitment.
In a troubling development, the officials said, the potential recruits are now being introduced to literature by Sayyid Qutb, an Egyptian extremist whose ideologies have significantly influenced radical Islamist organisations including Al-Qaeda.
Qutb, who was executed in 1966, advocated for active jihad against both secular governments and Western influence.
Historically, terror sympathisers relied on direct contact to recruit individuals but as security agencies have intensified their efforts to dismantle such networks, their methods have evolved, the officials said.
New recruits undergo virtual training via accessible online resources, including YouTube, before being assigned operational tasks within the region. (PTI)