Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Apr 1: The decline of the National Thowheed Jamath (NJT), the group responsible for the 2019 Easter bombings in Sri Lanka, has been a relief for Indian security agencies. However, intelligence reports indicate that former operatives linked to the NJT are attempting to revive the group, focusing their efforts in South India, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Officials warn that while these operatives cannot replicate the scale of NJT’s earlier activities, they aim to form small cells dedicated to radicalisation. “Their intention is to operate quietly, targeting youth and communities to spread extremist ideology,” said an Intelligence Bureau official.

The NJT’s historical connection with South India traces back to its founder, Bahrain Hashim, who frequently visited Tamil Nadu and radicalised several youths. Jamesha Mubeen, involved in the 2022 Coimbatore car bomb near the Sangameshwar Temple, had ties to Hashim and sought to replicate the 2019 Easter attacks locally, according to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Security agencies note that these operatives are attempting to fill the vacuum left by the banned Popular Front of India (PFI). They remain in contact with Islamic State members, sharing a common ideology, and are seeking collaboration with former PFI affiliates to form small-scale radicalisation cells.

“These individuals are not focused on large operations,” an official explained. “Their strategy is to create multiple small groups, often with no more than three members, to quietly spread extremist ideology and radicalise youth, potentially creating lone actors in the future.”

Authorities caution that if left unchecked, these seemingly small efforts could evolve into a widespread ideological movement, gradually influencing a significant number of young people. The agencies are closely monitoring these developments to prevent radicalisation from taking root and pre-empt any potential threats.