Facebook has emerged as favourite social media platform to spread hate and radicalise youth from across the border.
Pakistan is using 'cyber jihad' to radicalise Kashmiri youth and take the proxy war to the next level in Jammu and Kashmir, security officials have said.
From setting up separate IT cells in jihadi organisations to creating fake profiles, a proper ecosystem has been created in Pakistan with active support from the country's intelligence agencies to unleash a propaganda war and radicalise the youth.
Facebook has emerged as favourite social media platform to spread hate and radicalise youth from across the border. Figures compiled by different agencies reveal that there are 10,000 to 15,000 fake profiles and pages created on Facebook from Pakistan for cyber jihad.
"There are pages which are being sponsored and financed by Pakistan. There are some profiles with Hindu names, who abuse Muslims. Their aim is to create resentment among Muslims against Hindus," said an officer.
Investigations into social media misuse revealed that Pakistan's ISI is controlling, monitoring and financing cyber jihad.
"Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has its own IT wing. There are around 50 youth from Kashmir who went from Kashmir to Pakistan and joined militant outfits. They are part of this cell. They monitor the activities on social media. If someone from Kashmir posts opinions different from their ideology, they threaten them through their ground network," said another officer.
Investigators have pointed out that the LeT has recruited college students in Pakistan to create a troll army for the cyber jihad.
"We are aware that the LeT visited educational institutions and told students if they can't go to Kashmir for jihad, they can still serve them. They are being asked to create fake profiles and disseminate jihad-related information. In turn, they are being paid. Even Pakistan pays for likes to sustain a false narrative," said an officer.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Mir Imtiyaz Hussain, who has worked extensively on the subject, said that it is a conscious effort by Pakistan to wage cyber jihad to radicalise the youth.
"We are a liberal democracy. There are checks and balances to get things blocked. Even if you block one profile, they create another the very next second. It is a planned and well-established strategy. Problem is that 16- to 18-year-old youth do not have complete information. They feed them with one-sided information. They sort of commit suicide by picking up the gun and get killed within a few days," he said.
Social media radicalisation has been one of the biggest factors behind increasing terrorist recruitment in Kashmir. Figures reveal that over 194 youth were recruited into terrorist ranks in 2018, compared to 126 in 2017. Despite the killing of Burhan Wani in 2016, only 88 youth joined terrorism. The year 2015 saw 66 youth joining different terrorist groups.
ISI In Control Of Operation
Investigations into social media misuse revealed that Pakistan’s ISI is controlling, monitoring and financing cyber jihad. “There are pages which are being sponsored and financed by Pakistan. There are some profiles with Hindu names, who abuse Muslims. Their aim is to create resentment among Muslims against Hindus,” said an officer
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