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| Future I.S. fighter may be unarmed, shaved off | |
By Manzoor Ahmed
Going incognito, beard shaved and without displaying arms, is part of the ‘Plan B’ of the Islamic State as its spreads its terror network and sleeper agents in countries around the world, India included.
The IS, or Daesh in Arabic, is aware that it could be militarily overrun in Syria now that the United States and Russia have joined hands. Hence, it has laid out its Plans B, C. and D, according to security experts. They say that since the IS is planning for the future, this should prompt the governments fighting it to also develop appropriate responses.
For India, the problem is next door. After a long period of denial, Pakistan military finally admitted that IS has a presence in the country as the authorities apprehended hundreds of its militants to prevent major attacks. Military spokesman Lieutenant-General AsimBajwa said among the targets were embassies and Islamabad’s airport.
The world community by now has accepted the reality that efforts to eradicate terrorism will require a long campaign, not necessarily succeeding, in the way one expects or hopes, though succeed we must.
For one thing, terrorist massacres in Paris, Brussels, Istanbul, Dhaka and Nice, scattered among other smaller ones in scale in other hotspots will ensure public support for moves to thwart terrorism. The 15th anniversary this year of the Sept 11 attacks, will also continue to be looked at as one that carries huge significance, especially to the authorities all over the world and terrorists groups.
As such, a recent report by The Independent disclosing that the Islamic State (IS) is planning for the future should trouble us to seek appropriate counter action, and fast. This is especially important as reports from other countries seem to confirm the group has a Plan B or C in the event its hold on the caliphate ends anytime soon.
In the event the situation on the ground changes and peace returns to Syria, IS has a plan in place to continue its campaign in other ways. One of which is make it difficult to distinguish between an IS militant and a normal person by shaving off the beard. The other is not to carry big weapons and flags as has been seen in pictures of IS globally.
An IS militant told The Independent of the reason why the group did not put up a fight when a Turkish convoy entered a town recently. He said: “When the Turkish army entered Jarabulus, I talked to my friends who were there. Actually, IS didn’t leave Jarabulus, they just shaved off their beards.”
Nevertheless, a much more troubling expose was when he said that Daesh (the IS) intends to rebuild its strength in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia plus “they have sleeper agents all over the world in many countries and their numbers are increasing”.
This is because the group’s leaders could foresee that the caliphate that was declared in 2014 in Mosul, might be overrun militarily. Police admission on the existence of “lone wolf” attackers in many counties where IS has found some foothold is also a further warning to all to be more conscious and careful wherever they go.
To state the obvious, unpredictability works in the attackers favour. So, it is necessary to remember that IS launched its attacks in Nice this year during the French National Day celebration which resulted in 84 deaths. We should be grateful that we have not seen such an attack on that scale occurring here. We should acknowledge, however, the task to contain or stop violence starts with every one of us. According to news from Germany, it is home to more than 500 Islamic militants
capable of carrying out terror attacks.
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizirre, speaking in an interview with Bild newspaper, said there were currently at least 520 “potential attackers” in the country which has been on edge since two IS attacks in July. In Paris, three women arrested last Thursday in connection with a car laden with gas cylinders found abandoned near Notre Dame cathedral were likely planning an attack, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. One of the women had stabbed a police officer during the arrest before being shot and wounded.
As for Southeast Asia, authorities have notified the public that IS followers want to establish a group called Katibah Nusantara, supposedly a Muslim nation covering Malaysia, Indonesia, southern Thailand, southern Philippines and even Singapore and Brunei.
In light of reports of IS’s claims to have put in place sleeper cells all over the world and can change tactics at a moment’s notice, the age of living with the threat of global terrorism has arrived as we ponder where they will strike next. Cooperating with the authorities and good people to prevent it is surely a no-brainer.
(The writer is a freelance journalist based in Kashmir)
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