Counter IS terror: Nationwide campaign launched to de-radicalize youths

In a three-day Directors-General of Police (DGP) conference, Govt has launched a nationwide campaign to de-radicalize the youngsters who have been influenced by the Islamic State ideology.

ISIS using the social networking sites to poison the minds of our youth and giving them a wrong impression of what is Islam and forcing them into fight and terrorism, ISIS also quoting the Holy Quran incorrectly to poison the minds of youth.

“In order to combat ISIS influence, govt has invited different ministries and government departments both at the Centre and states, including IT, social welfare, Home and Minorities Affairs for the three-day Directors-General of Police (DGP) conference that held in Rann of Kutch in Gujarat from Friday” sources said.

Muslim clerics, intelligentsia is at the forefront of this initiative. The selective member will reach out to the youth by their role models explaining what real Islam is and have to ensure youngsters are not influenced by the ideology that ISIS are trying to propagate in the name of religion, sources added.

Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, West Bengal, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh was some of the states brain storming on the issue. “This is not just a police matter. This is an issue where in we all have to come together to counter the threat,” an official privy to discussions said.

In Telangana, 17 youths have been prevented from travelling to Syria and, recently, four from Maharashtra were also stopped from travelling to the Middle-East. Sources said that although none of the youths were arrested, they were kept under surveillance. They went through counselling and are living normal lives.

After the main session on de-radicalization and cyber security, a sub-group of affected states will share experiences and come out with a national strategy to effectively counter the threat posed by ISIS.