New Delhi’s security apparatus has uncovered a chilling plot by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) to infiltrate educational institutions across India and radicalize students into forming a network of lone wolf attackers. This revelation emerged from the ongoing probe into JeM’s Faridabad module, which had stockpiled 2,500 kilograms of ammonium nitrate for devastating strikes in the national capital region.
Investigators revealed that the terror outfit had already penetrated a medical college, successfully recruiting doctors to execute attacks. But the most alarming aspect is JeM’s long-term strategy targeting impressionable students in schools and colleges. Through propaganda materials, the group aims to indoctrinate select students who would then spread extremist ideology among peers, creating a grassroots radicalization web.
‘Students are less likely to raise suspicions,’ a senior intelligence officer explained. ‘This mirrors tactics JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba employed in Pakistan, now being replicated in India for sustained operations over 5-10 years.’ The plan emphasizes small, undetectable cells—lone wolves or buddy pairs—over large modules, a lesson learned from the Faridabad bust where communication trails exposed the larger group.
Recent action by Maharashtra ATS underscores the threat: Mumbai resident Ayan Sheikh, 20-something, was arrested for radicalizing youths and preparing two students for overseas terror training. Interrogations confirmed his links to JeM handlers directing recruitment efforts nationwide.
Experts warn that radicalized youth, groomed from teens to their mid-20s, develop unshakeable commitment, posing a profound risk to national security. Authorities are ramping up surveillance in campuses, urging parents and educators to spot early signs of radicalization. This plot, if unchecked, could spawn a shadow army of homegrown terrorists striking at will.