ISIS on recruitment spree with 25 handlers, women agents use secret code 'UMM' to deceive security agencies

The ISIS is luring young Indian Muslims attracted to the idea of establishing a Caliphate through its 25 handlers, which include five women, who are stationed outside India.

New Delhi: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), the dreaded terrorist outfit that has massacred thousands across the globe, is on a recruitment spree in India despite a crackdown by the Indian anti-terror agencies.

According to a report carried by India Today, the ISIS is luring young Indian Muslims attracted to the idea of establishing a Caliphate through its 25 handlers, including five women, who are stationed outside India.

The women handlers, who are reportedly based in Philippines, Kenya, Argentina, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, have been entrusted with the task of spreading the ISIS network in India.

Most of them have reportedly toured India in past and developed contacts to push forward the ISIS agenda.

Indian agencies had earlier identified the Indian handlers of ISIS and foiled their plan of recruiting Indian youths by tracking and intercepting their planned visit to Turkey and Syria.

Moreover, adding teeth to its growing internet and social media presence, the Islamic State (IS) group had also reportedly launched an App that features news and videos showing executions and battlefield victories and propagates its agenda.

Discovered by the hacking collective Ghost security group, the App called "Amaq News" is designed to "streamline access" to the terrorist group's "propaganda", it was reported.

According to a Fortune report, the Android-based App is essentially a news portal run by the Amaq News Agency -- a group believed to be tied to IS.

When users start the app, it displays a scrolling news feed and icons to play videos. It also has options for users to have the feed automatically check for new posts.

The App, however, may not work in regions outside the IS control.