ISIS-K attempted suicide attack in India last year: US counterterrorism official

Washington: The Khorasan group of the Islamic State terror group that operates in South Asia attempted a suicide attack in India last year but failed, the top American counter-terrorism official has told lawmakers.

In fact, of all the branches of the ISIS, the ISIS-Khorasan or the ISIS-K is the outfit that is of the most concern to the US, Russel Travers, Acting Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, Office of Director of National Intelligence, said on Tuesday.

“Of all of the branches and networks of ISIS, ISIS-K is certainly one of those of most concern, probably in the neighbourhood of 4,000 individuals or so,” Travers said in response to a question from Indian-origin Senator Maggie Hassan.

“They have attempted to certainly inspire attacks outside of Afghanistan. They attempted last year to conduct a suicide attack in India. It failed,” Travers said when Hassan asked about the ability of ISIS-K to carry out terrorist attacks in the region.

Travers did not provide further details of the failed suicide attack by the ISIS-K in India.

Hassan travelled to Afghanistan and Pakistan last month, during which she said she heard firsthand the concerns of the US military about the growing and very real threat of ISIS-K, the ISIS affiliate in Afghanistan.

“I heard clearly that ISIS-K threatens not only US forces in Afghanistan, but also has designs on striking the US homeland,” she said.

Last week, Travers had said that there were more than 20 ISIS branches globally, some of which are using sophisticated technology such as drones to conduct operations.