Al Qaeda Issues Lone Wolf Call in India, Marking Alarming Tactical Shift

NEW DELHI:
The security agencies are keeping a close watch following a call made by the Al-Qaeda in the Sub-Continent (AQIS) to launch lone wolf attacks in India. This signals a shift in the functioning of the AQIS, which has so far not managed to make the kind of progress it would have wanted to in India.

The AQIS was launched in 2014 with the sole goal of carrying out strikes in the sub-continent. While it was formed in Afghanistan, it had stated that its primary focus would be India.

The outfit had even spoken about liberating Jammu and Kashmir from India. It had even appointed Asim Umar, a man from Uttar Pradesh, to head its India operations.

At first, the AQIS made several attempts to set up modules in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and other parts of North India. While the modules were set up, they never took off as the AQIS hoped, since the Intelligence and security agencies managed to get the better of them. This made the terror group change its strategy, and hence, the call was made to carry out lone wolf attacks in India.

The AQIS is more or less following the pattern of the Islamic State, which also encourages lone wolves to carry out attacks. The decision to go in for lone wolf attacks is because they are investment-free, and the chance of detection is very low.

The arrest of Zubair Hangargekar from Pune by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) is a clear sign that the AQIS has been encouraging lone wolves.

While the ATS is still investigating his links to the outfit and whether he was involved in radicalising others, prima facie it appears that he was acting alone.

At the time of his arrest, the ATS found pictures of him holding an AK-47 rifle and also making bombs.

While Zubair Hangargekar originally hails from Solapur, he worked in Pune as a specialist in software testing and a database developer.

The ATS learnt that he was earning well in the IT firm where he was employed. It became clear that he was radicalised by the online propaganda of the AQIS, following which he decided to carry out attacks.

Intelligence Bureau officials said that the call for lone wolf attacks made by the AQIS is a worrisome development. When compared to the Islamic State, Al Qaeda has more traction in India.

Since the days of Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda had more traction, and when the Islamic State came into the picture, the loyal base of Al Qaeda remained intact in India.

Further, Al-Qaeda has more reach in India. Its ideology is strong in the north, south and the northeastern states. Hence, the latest call is a worrying development, and many youth who are radicalised online could follow the message put out by the outfit.

Following the deaths of Bin Laden and Atman al-Zawahiri, many had expected that Al-Qaeda would be finished. While the outfit lay low for a while, it gradually started bouncing back.

The developments in Mali that signal a complete Al-Qaeda takeover would have boosted the morale of the rest of the members across the globe.

Such events are being cited during online radicalisation sessions, as well as the propaganda material that the outfit has been putting out.

Al-Qaeda, while encouraging its followers to carry out lone wolf attacks, says, “Pick up the truck now, not to mow grass, but to kill the enemies.”

It says, “There is no need for an IED. If you cannot assemble one, then run your enemy over with a car. The other weapons that the lone wolves can use, according to Al-Qaeda, are stones and knives. It also encourages its members to push non-believers down the building. Such material is circulating in large numbers online as the terror group makes a hard push to encourage lone wolves to carry out attacks in India.