The dynamics where terrorism and radicalisation are concerned in South India is quite interesting. For long radical Islamists had made Kerala their home to experiment with radicalisation and also ensure the spread of radical Islam.
There was a clear-cut pattern which was adopted by these elements. While experimenting in their radical laboratories, they ensured that no terror attacks took place in the state and this was done just to keep the heat off them. For their luck they had friendly governments which looked the other way when it came to this problem. This leniency ensured that the Wahhabis from Saudi Arabia came to the state with no problem and while in Kerala, they ensured that radical Islam spread far and wide.
To aid these activities, there was the Popular Front of India (PFI). The PFI played a major role in radicalisation, taking the message of the Wahhabis further and also indulging in violent acts against people they perceived to be as anti-Islam.
However, when all this was taking place, there was an undercurrent which went largely unnoticed and that was the rapid spread of Islamic terror in Tamil Nadu. An Intelligence Bureau official tells Organiser that Tamil Nadu today can be considered to be the gateway to terror in South India.
A preferred destination
There have been a number of groups which have tried multiple experiments in South India. While at first groups such as the Harkat-ul Jihadi Islami (HuJI) tried setting up shop in Hyderabad, terror outfits Al-Qaeda through its subsidiary Base Movement tried their luck in Kerala. While in Hyderabad, the HuJI died a quick death, the Base Movement in Kerala was unable to pick up as the PFI had a much stronger presence thus leaving no space for any other terror outfit.
In the meantime, Tamil Nadu went completely unnoticed. Issues such as smuggling from Sri Lanka through the waters in the state hit the headlines. However an undercurrent was brewing and that pertained to the rise of radical Islam. Several incidents in which Hindu activists were killed were brushed off as personal rivalry courtesy friendly governments. The real idea was to create fear and eliminate anyone who questioned the violent practices by radical elements. Those who had questioned the forced conversion to Islam too were eradicated.
Since there was no concrete action, these groups thrived and many even had political protection. Over the years, Tamil Nadu became a favourite hub and today one gets to witness a deadly cocktail of narcotics trade and extreme Jihadi ideology.
An unexpected player
While the focus of the agencies was largely around groups such as the PFI, Base Movement, HuJI, Students Islamic Movement of India and Indian Mujahideen, an unexpected player entered the market.
The Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HuT) which is a major player in Bangladesh made a gradual entry into India through Tamil Nadu. The manner in which it is spreading violent ideology and the traction it has gained among several Muslim youth suggests that the HuT is the strongest player in South India with its base in Tamil Nadu.
Going by the trajectory of the HuT, Intelligence agencies warn that this terror group is currently the most dangerous. It has a very high level of traction in Tamil Nadu and the outfit will face no problem in entering Kerala and Karnataka soon. The terror group has a relatively decent presence in Telangana and if the law enforcement agencies are not strict enough, the group could spiral out of control.
The HuT was banned by the Union Government in October 2024.
Agency officials say that the reason why the HuT could thrive in today’s scenario is because of the events that are unfolding in Bangladesh. With Muhammad Yunus allowing Jihadis to run the country, the HuT has become an important player. In 2015, the HuT had managed to recruit 15 Bangladeshi army officers and had planned on overthrowing Sheikh Hasina. The plot however failed.
Today with a government that supports them fully, the HuT would have no problem in operating. It is in a position to raise funds in a big way and utilise it for its operations in South India.
Currently the HuT is in the process of recruitment and radicalisation. Like the PFI, it too has set up Dawa or hit squads with the intention to carry out targeted killings. The recruitment drive in Tamil Nadu has been a quick process with many finding favour with the outfit. Further the HuT also has the advantage of being in the country for a longer duration.
It has gradually worked its way and not indulged in anything bombastic so far. Looking at the manner in which the HuT has been functioning, it is clear that the terror group is taking things slow before it can build a massive network.
A dossier on the terror group says that its South India operations currently revolve around propaganda, recruitment and radicalisation. This is a deliberate agenda to ensure that a solid network is built without them coming too much under the radar of the agencies.
In a recent chargesheet filed against two HuT members, Abdul Rehman and Mujibur Rehman, the National Investigation Agency said that they were conspiring and preparing to undertake acts of terror with an intention of establishing an Islamic Caliphate. The two operatives from Tamil Nadu were also in the process of enforcing the Sharia based draft constitution written by HuT founder Taqi al-Din al-Nabhani.
“They had also conducted Bayan (religious exposition) classes and had made several short films to further the organisation’s anti-India ideology on social media platforms. They had further organised an exhibition to showcase the military might of Islamic nations that would be invited (Nussrah) to overthrow the legally established government in India through violent jihad and war,” the NIA said.
Gateway to narcotics trade
Tamil Nadu is not a playground just for radical elements. The narcotics trade too is thriving and it has become an entry point for not just smugglers from Sri Lanka, but also for those in the international market.
While citing an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi had said that there are international cartels orang I the state.
The ISI has managed to tap the Sri Lankan smugglers and with this development, the quantity of the drugs being sent into Tamil Nadu has gone up multi-fold. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has learnt that there are multiple players and to target them, the state and central agencies must work in tandem.
Further there are other problems such as political pressure which is not allowing the agencies to work the way they would have wanted to. Last year in March, a Tamil film producer and former DMK functionary was arrested after it was found that he was the mastermind in the Rs 2,000 crore international drug racket. It was also learnt that he was the kingpin of the India-Australia-New Zealand drug trafficking network.
The constant neglect shown by several governments in the state has resulted in the operations being hindered. This has in turn led to lack of coordination. The end result is that Tamil Nadu has become one of the most important transit points for drug smugglers. The NCB’s Chennai zone data suggests that the seizures of methamphetamine bound for Sri Lanka is only on the rise. There is a huge demand for this drug in several parts of the world and the transit point through Tamil Nadu is used a lot for these operations.
The money that is earned through narcotic trade has a direct relation to terror related activities. The ISI which controls terror groups in India pump in a lot of money that is earned through narcotics trade. An example of this is the D-Company has to hand over 60 per cent of its earnings through narcotic trade to the ISI which in turns uses it to fund terror groups.
