India alert to threat posed by ISIS: Rajnath Singh

NEW DELHI: India is alert to the threat posed by terrorist group Islamic State following attacks in Paris, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today.

"ISIS is not a threat for any particular country but for the entire world. India is alert about ISIS," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

A series of terror attacks in Paris targeting concert-goers, soccer fans and people enjoying a Friday night out at popular nightspots killed 129 people.

At least two explosions took place near the Stade de France national stadium where a France-Germany friendly soccer match was being played, attended by President Francois Hollande.

After the attacks, Hollande declared a state of emergency and announced that he was closing the country's borders.

Indian security establishment suggests that around 20-odd Indians are currently fighting for ISIS in Iraq-Syria. They include two youths from Kalyan in the outskirts of Mumbai, an Australia-based Kashmiri, one youth from Telangana, one from Karnataka, one Oman-based Indian and another Singapore-based Indian.

Last year, a youth from Kalyan had returned home after spending about six-months with ISIS. He was arrested upon arrival in Mumbai.

Among the six Indians, who fought alongside ISIS and got killed were three Indian Mujahideen terrorists, including Sultan Ajmer Shah and Bada Sajid, who had joined its ranks after being in Pakistan, two from Maharashtra and one from Telangana.

On September 15, the UAE deported four Indians suspected to have links with ISIS.

The UAE had also sent back in September a 37-year-old woman, Afsha Jabeen alias Nicky Joseph, who was allegedly involving in recruiting youths for ISIS.

In January, Salman Mohiuddin of Hyderabad was arrested at Hyderabad airport when he was preparing to board a flight to Dubai on way to Syria via Turkey.

So far, 17 young men, mostly from Telangana, have been prevented from travelling to Syria, ostensibly to join ISIS.