New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) Indian Intelligence agencies have alerted the state police about the possibility of Islamic State-inspired attacks in the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia.  As many as 16 people were killed after a father-son duo, aged 50 and 24 years, respectively, fired mostly at Jewish people during the first day of Hanukkah. Officials say that the alert has been sounded since many Islamic State-related handles would use the attack for their propaganda and try to inspire people in India to carry out similar strikes. With the New Year coming up, Islamic State-inspired terrorists will look to carry out similar attacks at crowded venues during the festivities.

Intelligence agencies are keeping a close watch on the online activities of the Islamic State-linked handles. Officials say that the Bondi Beach attack may be cited as an example of how to carry out an attack at crowded places. The Islamic State has a lot of takers, especially in south India, where radicalisation drives are ongoing. Moreover, India recently witnessed a deadly attack in Delhi by the Jaish-e-Mohammad-inspired Faridabad module. All these factors are being taken into account, and hence a high level of alert has been advised by the Intelligence Bureau.

States such as Goa, which draw huge crowds during the New Year, are being closely watched by the agencies. In the past, too, the agencies have picked up intercepts suggesting that terror groups would plan attacks around the New Year. In recent years, the Israel-Hamas war has been a huge topic of debate in Islamic State circles. Even terror groups in Pakistan are upset with the response by Israel after Hamas carried out a massive attack. The Hamas-Palestine issue has become the main recruitment tool for terror groups, especially the Islamic State. It has been calling for attacks on Jews in particular to avenge the Israeli response, officials say.

The two terrorists in the Sydney attack, Sajid Akram and Naveed Akram, were inspired by the violent ideology of the Islamic State, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. This indicates that they were inspired by the online content that the outfit has been circulating in large numbers. Investigations also found that the father-son duo had visited the Philippines last month. Further, it has also been revealed that they had travelled on Indian passports.

An official says that there are plenty of people in India who have been radicalised through the online content of the Islamic State. Many are even ready for attacks, and this has been largely facilitated by the Islamic State’s DIY kit that circulates on encrypted messaging channels. The Islamic State has not been able to mount a major attack in India as yet. However, its recruitment and radicalisation drives have been hugely successful. The outfit feels that instead of mounting a massive attack, it is better to capture the minds of the youth and radicalise them.

Intelligence Bureau officials say that it is not the time to be complicit. There are several events that have been reported across the globe that have given the terror group plenty of ammunition to launch massive recruitment drives. In India, many have already been radicalised to very high levels. Hence, the police have to be on their toes at all times, and one slip-up is what the terror group or these radicalised youth are waiting for. There are many who are ready to carry out a strike, and hence the alert levels need to remain very high, the official also added.