'Negligible' support from Indian youth for ISIS: Rajnath Singh

There is "negligible" support from Indian youth for ISIS, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said today giving credit to families from minority communities for discouraging their children from getting influenced by the terror group.

Singh also assured the Lok Sabha that no innocent person from minority community would be taken into custody with regard to suspected terror activities and if there are such instances, these can be brought to his notice.

"Minority communities of our country are discouraging this ... Parents are discouraging their children (from coming under influence of radicalism). I appreciate it," Singh said during Question Hour amid thumping of desks by members.

Further, he said that minorities in many countries are encouraging ISIS.
Singh made the remarks while responding to queries about the threat of ISIS in India and steps taken by the government in this regard.

It is a fact that some of our youth followed ISIS but it is "negligible", the Minister said.
Noting that the government took cognisance immediately after ISIS activities began to spread in different parts of the world, Singh ISIS has been prohibited.

"We are very much concerned about the activities of ISIS ... We are taking all steps to contain it," he said.

Besides, the government assured the House there is not much to worry about the prevailing situation.

Responding to a query on ISIS influence in India, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the matter is "very, very sensitive" and the details cannot be discussed in the House".

"There is nothing much to worry... We need not very much worry about the prevailing situation," he noted.

A series of actions are being taken by the government including augmenting capacity of NSG and tightening of immigration control, among others.

The Home Minister said central agencies worked in close collaboration with the Karnataka police to gather information leading to his arrest.

Mehdi used to visit prominent ISIS related sites, mostly in Arabic language and then translate the contents into English and repost the material on his twitter account 'ShamiWitness'.

Singh said Mehdi belongs to a middle class family from Kolkata and has done his electrical engineering from Gurunanak Dev Institute of Technology in 2012 and joined the ITC, Bangaluru, following a campus recruitment.

Mehdi was working as "manufacturing executive" with ITC Foods and was staying in an one-room apartment in the IT city.

Britain's Channel 4 News had first aired the report regarding Mehdi's link with the Twitter account that is followed by foreign jihadis.

Mehdi has been arrested under Sec 125 of IPC (whoever wages war against the Government of any Asiatic power in alliance or at peace with the Government of India or attempts to wage such war, or abets the waging of such war), different sections the of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Information Technology Act.