Hello, short thread to follow on the arrest of pro-ISIS group from raids conducting in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh and a short description what this means and how an ISIS thread needs to be seen from an Indian context. First, want to start with the pic below of recovered weapons... 
So, barring the local made guns, bullets and print outs of ISIS imagery...the two things that have caught people's attention is the "rocket launcher" and general firecrackers (green ones) that one can buy off the shelf in and around Diwali.
The DIY system of making weapons was a method that ISIS worked hard on. Having to 'live off the land', so to speak, they had to improvise a lot. Designs for these improvisations were posted online over the years, easily accessible to anyone.
The 'rocket launcher' is basically a mortar launcher, made for crude home-made mortars. This was a commonly developed weapon not just by ISIS, but multiple warring groups in Iraq and Syria using parts from cars, trucks etc. Below, an example from Syria using exhaust pipes...
Lets not forget that these DIY weapons from the Syrian conflict is common and easily made. ISIS went much beyond this as far as DIY weaponry goes, they even made crude drones, flew them armed with home made grenades, with cameras. See here:
The powder from firecrackers, could be, used to make crude DIY nail bombs. See below of an example, again from either Iraq or Syria. Duct tape, explosive materials, steel case and nails. It could work, could not work. But its a type of crude weapon.
Now, this was just to highlight that what kind of crude weapons ISIS used, and propagated online. Blueprints of such DIY weapons have been available online for years, and this is not an ISIS developed phenomenon. ISIS, did, make these available vigorously during their reign.
Now, moving to the arrest and ISIS case itself. It is imperative to remember that if we allow public discourse to not differentiate an 'ISIS group' from a bunch of pro-ISIS looneys, we play into the hands of ISIS propaganda. This is what happened over past 24 hrs.
There have been previous ISIS "cell" busts bigger than this. And previous cases throughout 2014-2017 have been those of disorganised individuals or group with similar ideological leaning buying into the caliphate's warped fantasy world.
Ultimately, it is upto us, and our narrative to deny legitimacy to these cases. Most of these are not ISIS cases, not even those acting on its behalf. But those who have bought into the ISIS fable and want to act on it in one way or another.
Last point, I do believe that the NIA press conference was counter-productive, and the following media debates on TV channels abhorrently dimwitted (excuse my Latin). The battle against ISIS now is that of narratives, branding and information, not military conflicts. End.
OK since some asked, quick expansion on DIY weapons. The exhaust pipe + air compression method of launching a crude grenade is still 'hi-tech'. See below, crude catapult system, crude 'gulail' system to launch home made grenades and mortars. All made from scraps, easy to teach.
The final point of this thread, the first thing people seem to go for over this case was to politicise it between BJP - Congress discourse. Your own political choices are indifferent in fighting terrorism, you either fight it as a state, or lose to it as a state. End (final one).
This @htTweets report has anonymous NIA officials talking about various everyday items being used as IEDs. Has given examples of other terror activities as well using DIY bomb making techniques. hindustantimes.com/india-news/ite…
This says, main accused, Mufti Suhail, was radicalized online via Facebook by one Abu Malik Peshawari. 'Peshawari' tag means from Peshawar (Pakistan). Possibly Pro/ISIS Khorasan members who have been building an online base under a new "media chief". indianexpress.com/article/india/…
Here is an interesting intersection, out of the 10 arrested by NIA, 4 were brothers. Chances are high of elder brothers influencing and radicalizing younger brothers. However, chances are even higher of younger brothers defecting, or sounding an alarm to authorities.
