The Jammu and Kashmir terrorist organizations were using 14 chat applications, which the Indian government has blacklisted. The usage of these apps by terrorists to communicate with members of these organizations has purportedly been discovered.
According to a News18 story, these applications were being looked into by a number of authorities from the security, investigative, intelligence, and defense services. The story went on to state that the terrorists were also using the applications to communicate with their on-the-ground personnel and supporters, citing sources. The report claimed that an investigation into these applications revealed they were also employed to promote terrorist propaganda and influence young people in Jammu and Kashmir.
Here is a complete list of the apps that have been blocked:
- Crypviser
- Enigma
- Safeswiss
- Wickrme
- Mediafire
- Briar
- BChat
- Nandbox
- Conion
- IMO
- Element
- Second line
- Zangi
- Threema
How the applications were identified?
The above-mentioned applications were reportedly discovered to be installed on devices that belonged to terrorists who were slain during operations. Additionally, it was discovered during investigations and on the devices of workers on the ground who had at least one of the applications. Even if it was challenging to intercept them, the existence and characteristics of the apps made it clear that they were being used to advance the cause of terrorism.
Despite the fact that these apps have been restricted, it is impossible to identify the founders because they are not headquartered in India and do not have any representatives. Additionally, these messaging apps use strong encryption, giving users privacy and anonymity while making it challenging to access the content. The fact that many apps have servers located in various nations makes it more challenging to determine where they came from.
In accordance with Section 69A of the Information Technology Act of 2000, these apps have been disabled. The apps won’t be accessible on official app store markets or be able to connect to the Indian server. However, given the nature of the apps, more are probably going to appear in the future.
