Using Kashmir as a spring board global jihadi forces, including Islamic State and al-Qaeda, are looking to target Indian metros. Over the years, al-Qaeda has been trying hard to make inroads into India through its subcontinent wing al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) but has failed to make an impact so far. However, intelligence sources believe that this could just be a ploy or a mind game from al-Qaeda to recruit and radicalise youth in other Indian cities. Al-Qaeda and some terror organisations operating in Kashmir are not always on the same ideological page. Fluent in Urdu, Mehmood stressed upon the need to expand al-Qaeda in Indian subcontinent with Kashmir as a focal point.

Source: India Today December 27, 2017 07:46 UTC