New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) The deadly van and knife attack in Berlin carried out by an Islamic State operative shows how deadly the outfit continues to remain despite losing vast territory. The outfit on the ground when it comes to operational strength is hardly even present in Syria or Iraq.

Although weak on the ground when compared to other terror outfits such as the Jaish-e-Mohammad or Lashkar-e-Tayiba, the Islamic State has an ideological spread across the globe, making it still one of the most dangerous groups in the world.

An official said that this strong presence is largely due to two factors. They are technology and the recent support that Pakistan has been offering them.

Islamabad has been playing a dangerous game by engaging with the Islamic State in Afghanistan. The plan is to use the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) against the Afghan Taliban and Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), the official said.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the problem does not lie with Islamabad using the ISKP to beat down its adversaries. Pakistan has been instrumental in facilitating the movement of Islamic State operatives in countries in Europe.

In the Berlin case, it was learnt that the Islamic State operative, Abdul Ballout was frustrated that he was unable to reach a foreign land and be part of the outfit. He is said to have re-directed that anger towards the people of Berlin.

Officials say that when it comes to the Islamic State, Pakistan is not just causing a problem in Afghanistan or India. It is contributing to the global problem by facilitating the terror group. The Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) which operates from the mountains in Afghanistan have been given a free pass in Pakistan.

The outfit which was largely beaten down by the Afghan Taliban was given a fresh lease of life by Islamabad, the official said. In June the Europe and FBI targeted networks of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). It was found that ISKP activity on the battleground at Syria and Iraq had largely reduced.

However, its overseas financing, operational networks and recruitments remained intact. Further it was also found that many of the recruits who were entering the European nations were coming in from Pakistan, North Africa and the Sahel.

Another official said that this is a big shift where ties between Islamabad and the Islamic State are concerned. Once viewed as enemies, today Pakistan provides the Islamic State with technological, financial and logistical support.

In 2025 alone, there were 45 Islamic State linked attacks that were reported across 10 European countries. This is a big number considering the fact that the outfit was struggling a couple of years back due to lack of recruitments and funds, the official added. Counter-terrorism experts say that the Islamic State has benefited most from technology.

The ISI has been helping the outfit on the use of technology and this has boosted the online propaganda drive of this outfit. ISKP cadres are trained by ISI backed elements on how to use the dark web, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and creating chatbots. The Al-Azaim Foundation Media Production was established by the ISKP following the take over of Afghanistan by the Taliban.

The publication was struggling to gain reach, but today it is widely circulated and has contributed largely to the propaganda drive of the ISKP. The funding and the technological assistance that has been provided by Pakistan has largely helped the ISKP. It publishes and circulates content in Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada, Urdu, Hindi, Russian, English and Pashto. In recent months, the ISKP has also added chatbots as one of its many operational tools.

These chatbots are used to identity vulnerable persons in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and the European nations. Once identified such persons are radicalised who eventually end up carrying out lone wolf attacks in several parts of the world. Officials say that while the funding, logistic and technological assistance provided by Pakistan have aided the ISKP largely, the Afghan war too has been a contributing factor.

Pakistan has been accusing the Afghan Taliban without proof of backing the TTP. Ties between Afghan and Pakistan have soured considerably and this prompted a war that Islamabad started. The ISKP was quick to side with Pakistan as it also views the Taliban as an enemy.

Moreover, the atrocities that were committed by Pakistan in bordering areas has left a lot of people disgruntled. The ISKP used this to its benefit, to target such persons for radicalisation and recruitment. Islamabad for its own gains has played a dangerous game by breathing life into an almost dead ISKP. In the bargain, it has created a monster which has become a threat to South Asia and beyond, an official said.

--IANS

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