New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) A series of arrests made in recent months has uncovered an alleged network linked to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)-backed operative Shahzad Bhatti, with security agencies dismantling modules across Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Rajasthan.
Investigations have revealed that the modules operated with distinct objectives. While some members were tasked with gathering intelligence on sensitive installations and crowded public places, others were allegedly preparing for acts of violence, including petrol bomb attacks and targeted shootings.
A common thread running through the various cases is the emergence of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Hindustan (TTH), a group that officials believe is being developed as part of a broader ISI strategy.
This is a major gamble that the ISI has taken. The creation of the TTH aims at sending several messages, an official said.
“At first, we thought that it was an imaginary outfit only aimed at propaganda. However, investigations suggest that the TTH is very much in the making, and this ambitious project has been entrusted to Shahzad Bhatti, who operates from Dubai and Pakistan,” the official added.
According to Intelligence Bureau officials, one of the primary objectives behind the TTH is to establish a perceived linkage with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Officials believe that beyond this, the larger goal is to create what appears to be a homegrown terror outfit operating within India.
Bhatti, who was once known as a social media influencer, is alleged to be playing a key role in recruitment efforts. Investigators say he relies on a combination of ideological messaging and financial incentives to attract recruits. Recent arrests indicate that the network sought to recruit both Muslim and Hindu youth, a strategy that officials believe was carefully planned.
“This would make the TTH seem even more home-grown, and the fact that it has recruits of both religions would make the outfit look like a completely made-in-India organisation,” an official said.
Another official said that creating the impression of a domestic outfit remains central to the project. At the same time, attempts to link the TTH with the TTP could serve a wider propaganda objective.
“This would make it seem as though Indian agencies are backing the TTP, which has run amok in Pakistan,” the official said.
Pakistan’s security forces have suffered significant casualties in attacks carried out by the TTP in recent years. Officials believe that by projecting a connection between the TTP and TTH, Pakistan could attempt to shift blame for TTP attacks onto India.
Security officials describe the emergence of the TTH as a matter of serious concern. While the motivations behind the outfit’s creation may be varied, the scale of its intended operations has particularly alarmed Indian agencies.
Unlike organisations such as the Indian Mujahideen and the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), whose members were largely focused on carrying out terror attacks, officials say the TTH is envisioned as a multi-dimensional network with a far wider operational scope.
According to investigators, the outfit’s plans extend beyond bombings and targeted killings. The network is also believed to be exploring activities such as narcotics smuggling, arms and ammunition trafficking, online radicalisation and propaganda, counterfeiting operations, and the creation of multiple modules across different parts of the country.
“The scale at which they plan to operate is what makes the TTH lethal,” officials warned.
Although security agencies have managed to disrupt several modules linked to the network, officials caution that the project remains a work in progress.
While Indian agencies have managed to get the better of TTH for now, the creation of the outfit remains in progress. The ISI and Bhatti will not give up easily, and these early setbacks will not demoralise them, an official said.
This is a project of utmost importance to the ISI, and all attempts would be made to make the TTH a success despite all the setbacks, the official added.
–IANS
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