Indian Mujahideen: The Enemy Within [Hardcover] by Shishir Gupta

Key Features/Quotes A timely and hardhitting book that looks at the phenomenon of home grown jihad. The author talks of both the Islamic and Hindutva strain of terrorists the book is written on the basis of extensive research and detailed talks with men in the IB and RAW. The author is a leading journalist with the Indian Express. About the Book: The Indian Mujahideen: Tracking the Enemy Within Recent acts of terror have exploded the myth that Indian youth is insulated from the global terrorism phenomenon and had little time for extremism. The communal riots post the 1992 incident, the rise of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and the mutation of a section of aspiring Muslim youth into terrorists with the help of forces across the border. The story of homegrown jihadists would have been skewed had it not been for the testimonies of David Coleman Headley and Sarfaraz Nawaz on the involvement of the Pakistan InterServices Intelligence, top LashkareTaiba leadership, the Al Qaida and the Karachi project, whose demon child the Indian Mujahideen is. This book is the firstever attempt to link up jihadists all over India and trace their linkages with terrorists based in countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. According to Gupta, SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India) founded in April 1977 has among its four 'aims', the destruction of nationalism and establishment of Islamic rule or Caliphate, obviously in India! That anybody could even think of it comes as a shock but SIMI seems to be clear in its mind. Feeding on the"insecurities" of the minority community - mostly imaginary - SIMI apparently has nearly 400 ansars (full-time activists) and an amazing 20,000 ikhwans (regular members) with networks all over India. Additionally, since 1990 there has been a steady stream of Pakistani nationals who have infiltrated into India to establish"sleeper cells" for future strikes within the country.