Law Enforcement Looks Into Islamic Preachers Spreading Instigating Videos on Darknet

Indian government and its law enforcement organization National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting an investigation on several controversial islamic preachers distributing instigating videos on the darknet.

Officers of the NIA stated that a new group of preachers were absurdly and offensively imitating radical islamic preachers with the sole intent of spreading propaganda and false information on islamic beliefs.

The NIA further emphasized that the group has spread insolent courses and lectures on islamic beliefs and people through various mediums and outlets such as social media and the darknet. Individuals who were convinced of the legitimacy of these courses bought the videos on the darknet, failing to recognize the dishonorable intent of the criminals.

Representatives of the NIA stated:

“With enforcement agencies upping the surveillance in social media, the videos are being circulated using dark net through Tor browser, use of encryption applications such as Orbot, Amn al Mujahid (an encryption programme by Al-Fajr Media Centre, an exclusive distributor of Al Qaeda’s Propaganda), Chatsecure, Telegram and encrypted emails systems.”

 

Other footage created and distributed by the criminals on the darknet showed a series of battles between ISIL militants and Iraq. Officers revealed that these videos were designed to instigate young individuals to join the ISIL.

“Video footages of war between the cadre of the IS and the Iraqi forces are being widely circulated in Kerala to instigate youth to take up voluntary service in the IS,” NIA representatives added.

Considering the involvement of the darknet, Tor browser and alternative encryption methods utilized to distribute the disturbing footages of war, the NIA confirmed to crackdown on darknet marketplaces and other mediums of video sharing to prevent further distribution of the videos.

More importantly, the state intelligence will allocate their resources in tracing down various aliases used on the darknet to sell the videos. The NIA declined to release any additional information on the methods that will be implemented to unravel the identities behind this particular incident.

However, the NIA did confirm that its officers will continue looking into the darknet in the future to ensure that these type instigating videos aren’t distributed in the country.

In a different case disclosed in December of last year, the NIA filed an official charge sheet against 8 members of an ISIL module, which was cracked down in June. The group planned to carry out large-scale terrorist attacks on crowded markets and religious locations, with the intent of murdering hundreds of people in the country.

These terrorists also utilized encrypted platforms and technologies like the darknet and Tor browser to communicate each other, to ensure their conversations are prevented from surveillance. Based on the magnitude of the previous ISIL case, and the emergence of yet another criminal case surrounding the darknet, the NIA will increase their efforts in overseeing inappropriate operations within the darknet.