The recent Faridabad explosives haul and the Red Fort car blast are not isolated events. They are connected parts of a dangerous new strategy being used by Pakistan’s ISI to create terror within India. Instead of relying only on cross-border militants, they are now building secret “sleeper cells” inside the country, and they are deliberately recruiting educated professionals like doctors to lead them.
What is a Sleeper Cell?
Think of a sleeper cell as a secret team of terrorists that stays hidden and inactive for a long time, sometimes years. They live ordinary lives until they receive orders to carry out an attack.
Pakistan’s New Game Plan
After a successful Indian counter-terror operation (Operation Sindoor) in May against the group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Pakistan’s ISI and JeM have changed their approach. Intelligence reports reveal they are now building four specialized types of sleeper cells:
Logistical Cells: These handle fake IDs, SIM cards, and hideouts.
Financial Cells: These move money through charities and businesses to fund operations and buy materials like chemicals for bombs.
Ideological Cells: These use encrypted apps and social media to radicalize Indian youth. They spread propaganda about Muslims being suppressed to brainwash them.
Operational Cells: These are the action teams that carry out attacks. They now specifically recruit highly skilled people, like doctors and engineers, because they are the “least suspicious.”
The Faridabad-Red Fort Connection
The recent arrests show how this new system works.
Who are the Recruits?
The key arrested individuals are Indian nationals – doctors like Dr. Muzammil Sheikh, Dr. Adil Ahmed, Dr. Shaheen Shahid, and an Imam named Ishtiyaq.
What is the Process?
They were first slowly brainwashed online (cognitive conditioning) with propaganda. Their communication was kept secret through a “compartmentalization” method, meaning each person only knew a few others, so the whole network wouldn’t collapse if one was caught.
What were their Roles?
Dr. Muzammil used his position at a medical college to store huge amounts of ammonium nitrate for making bombs.
Dr. Shaheen handled the logistics, like arranging vehicles.
Imam Ishtiyaq was a recruiter, radicalizing other professionals.
The Attack?
The Red Fort blast was a “fidayeen” or suicide attack, which is the current preferred method to cause maximum damage.
The “White-Collar Terror” Ecosystem
This is the most alarming shift. Terror groups are now creating a “white-collar terror ecosystem.” They are targeting doctors and other educated professionals because:
They are smart and can handle complex tasks like building bombs.
They have access to dangerous chemicals and materials through their jobs.
No one would suspect a respected doctor of being a terrorist.
This raises a terrifying possibility: if they can get materials for bombs, they could also potentially get materials for biological weapons in the future.
Plausible Deniability: Hiding Behind Al-Qaeda
To avoid blame, Pakistan’s ISI is using a clever trick. They are using a group called Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, which is linked to Al-Qaeda. This allows the ISI to say, “We are not responsible; it’s Al-Qaeda.”
In reality, this group is made up of former members of ISI-backed groups like JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). So, the ISI provides the logistics through JeM sleeper cells, while Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind handles the brainwashing and recruitment of Indians. This creates a “homegrown” terror module that Pakistan can deny any connection to.
What to Expect Next
The Red Fort attack is likely just the beginning. Security agencies warn that this new model of “homegrown, white-collar terrorism” is a major emerging threat. As the National Investigation Agency (NIA) continues its raids, more of these sleeper cells are expected to be uncovered. The danger is now increasingly coming from within, making it a more complex and challenging fight for India’s security forces.
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