(This is the story of Atul, a young man who was targeted and radicalised by extremist Islamists in India. He developed an inclination towards the ISIS, but was taken into custody by the Anti-Terrorism Squad before he could act on his beliefs. He has since given up the ideology that had attracted him to the terrorist organisation. Atul’s name has been changed to protect his identity. This exclusive story by The Quint is a two-part series. This is Part II.)
Atul had been on the radar of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for at least six months before he was picked up. They had been monitoring his movements and keeping a tab on his online interactions.
There had been multiple cases of youth who had fled their homes to join the ISIS already, and the ATS meant to ensure that they did not lose another man to the terrorist outfit.
As soon as he could be found – fourteen months after he fled home – Atul was brought to the ATS office and questioned. He could have been booked, but the cops realised that he was one of those many youngsters who had been artfully lured in by the ISIS propaganda.
Over the next few months, the ATS conducted rigorous counselling sessions with Atul, killing his naivety with facts before re-uniting him with his family.
The Reunion
When I returned home, my parents could not even recognise me. I looked different, I spoke differently. I was away for fourteen months, but I could see that the distance had not changed their affection, not even altered it. I could not bear to face them. My father had suffered a stroke; both my parents had lost so much weight. They couldn’t stop crying. I couldn’t believe that I had caused them so much pain. All the time that I was away from them, I always felt that I had left something behind, something very important. I did not want to hurt them. But had I not left discreetly, they would never have let me go, and I just had to go.Atul
“Par ab, meri kaifiyat badal gayi hai (But now, my condition has changed),” he adds, borrowing words from his learning at the madarsa.
ISIS Targets Impressionable Youth
According to the Maharashtra ATS, the terrorist organisation has been specifically targeting youth like Atul, who are young and impressionable.
ACP Bhanupratap Barke of Pune ATS says that members of the organisation scout online chat rooms and forums for such youngsters.
They judge the conversations to identify those they think are gullible yet aggressive and easy to brainwash. Once identified, they begin chatting with the youngsters. The conversations move to private messengers and over a period of time, they are successfully radicalised.
Misquoting the teachings of Islam to serve the purpose of terrorism is the normal procedure used by the manipulators for radicalisation.
Sources say that the ISIS, in most such cases of radicalisation, meticulously places the bait according to the target. If the youth to be radicalised is a young girl, they get another young girl to talk to her.
If he’s a student, they get a student to talk to him. This, say sources, is to ensure that a comfortable environment is maintained in conversations, and the victim falls more easily for the radical.
Because the youth have largely been the target in most cases, we have started organising lectures in schools, colleges, madrassas and gurukuls at various places in Maharashtra in the past year. In the initial days, we first conducted a meeting of 150 maulvis from all over the state, and thereafter, we have been able to conduct at least 44 programmes in various educational institutions. The agenda is to counter the ISIS’ efforts to gauge more vulnerable youngsters for their army, and aim for prevention instead of cure.ACP Bhanupratap Barke, Pune ATS
The Maharashtra ATS, in December last year, was also successful in rescuing a 16-year-old girl from Pune who was radicalised by members of the ISIS and was brainwashed to go to Syria.
ATS sources say that the girl, like Atul, is now helping them with their de-radicalisation programmes. She is keen to complete her studies and hopes to pass her UPSC examinations.
Atul, meanwhile, is determined to take care of his family. It was a close brush with doom, but now, he feels obligated towards his parents and grateful towards the ATS.
He has taken over his family business, has instructed his parents only to travel and rest, and no more feels that he is leaving something behind.
“The teachings of Islam are with me; they’ll always be with me. I have studied the religion for fourteen months; I learned the Holy Quran and I have read hundreds of hadiths. I can tell you that Islam is only and all about love and respect. And I cannot believe that these men, who fire bullets into children with AK-47s, are misusing, misquoting this religion to spread bloodshed. I’m no more a Muslim. I don’t have the beard any more, nor do I dress like them now. But I don’t follow Hinduism either. If this episode has taught me anything, if Islam has taught me anything, it is to make humanity into a religion, the only religion. Love people, serve them – the exact opposite of what the ISIS preaches,” says Atul, the smile audible in his voice.
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