Opinion | White Collar Terrorism (Diaspora, Dollars, and Destruction in Kashmir)

Terrorism is not always loud and visible. In many places it grows quietly in the background and builds itself through ideas, money, activism, contacts and influence. Kashmir has lived with terrorism for decades and this prolonged time has allowed many forms of terrorism to take shape. Some people imagine terrorism only as armed men in mountains, but another form grows far away from the place of violence. This is the form that works from cities outside and sometimes even outside Asia. It operates through soft methods, educated voices and long reach. Many call this white-collar terrorism because it hides behind polished language, social media activism, charity groups, human rights desks and political lobbying. It does not show a gun, but its effect can be just as harmful.
White collar terrorism grows because it faces less suspicion. It travels across borders easily. It looks educated and modern. It uses legal systems, media freedom and open societies to push its ideas. People living abroad usually have more money, more resources and the ability to influence international opinion. They understand how to use global platforms and they know how to build sympathy for their propaganda. This combination of safety, distance and influence makes this form of support more dangerous than many people realize.
To add to this misery, there is a diaspora living across the globe that keeps terrorism alive through money, influence, labour support, rallies and constant narrative building. They live worry-free, and safe from the violence they help create, that bleeds the Valley, yet they speak the loudest about it and play the biggest card of victimhood. From comfortable homes across continents, they nurse anger and push young people toward paths they would never choose for their own children. Through social media they mobilise emotions, manipulate young minds, and mislead foreign audiences who have no understanding of the ground reality. They cannot be caught, they cannot be touched, and their visibility is deceiving because they look like harmless activists, students, or professionals. But behind that clean image hides a terrorist, a steady flow of money, messages, online campaigns, and quiet persuasion that keeps terrorism alive while they remain far away from its consequences.
In the context of Kashmir, diaspora networks and white-collar terrorism have played a major role in shaping radicle narratives about Kashmir. Living far from the ground reality, many in these networks present a one-sided version of events that favours them. They speak in a way that attracts attention in foreign countries where people already feel strongly about human rights issues. The strength of these networks lies not in physical presence but in their ability to create powerful fabricated stories that are then used by hostile groups to justify their armed terrorism inside Kashmir. These narratives may appear peaceful, but they often hide the goal of keeping the region unstable so that radical groups can continue their work.
Diaspora groups also help terrorists in more direct ways. People living abroad face fewer chances of being caught when sending money, running online propaganda pages or coordinating meetings. They enjoy wide networks built over many years. Some run charity fronts that look harmless but quietly collect funds for separatist groups or terror activities. Others run social media pages that encourage anger, glorify violence and paint terrorists as heroes. These pages can reach thousands of young minds within minutes. Young gullible people sometimes fall for these messages and begin to see violence and terrorism as a path of honour. This soft influence is what makes white collar terrorism so dangerous. It works without noise, but it slowly changes minds and gives terror groups a steady supply of recruits.
The link between diaspora and terrorism becomes stronger when these networks use professional skills. Many members of the diaspora have advanced knowledge in technology, communications or finance. This helps them hide their activities. They know how to avoid digital surveillance by using encrypted apps, temporary accounts and foreign bank systems. They know how to make propaganda look like research, how to present separatism as freedom and how to use emotional stories to gain international support. They encourage unrest from a safe distance while local people face the consequences. This creates an unfair but powerful cycle where those abroad gain influence and those in Kashmir carry the risk.
White collar terrorism also plays a major role in building false narratives around security incidents. When a major attack happens, such as the one in Delhi, these networks move quickly. They try to shift blame, confuse the story and attack the credibility of Indian agencies. The goal is not to prove innocence but to weaken the state’s ability to respond. They often join hands with hostile foreign agencies who want instability in the region. They also try to influence global think tanks and human rights bodies by presenting selective information. This creates pressure on India while allowing extremist groups to hide behind noise and confusion.
Another way diaspora groups help terrorists is through emotional encouragement. They praise violent acts as bravery. They celebrate terrorism as local icons. They send messages of support to families of those engaged in violence. This moral support keeps the cycle going and prevents many young people from choosing peace. It is easy to glorify conflict while living comfortably far from the line of fire. But these messages have real results on the ground where people die, families suffer and communities break apart.
Another layer of this problem is how parts of the diaspora use religion to intensify emotions and shape perceptions. From far-off cities in the Middle East, Europe, and North America, they wrap political messaging in religious language, turning faith into a tool to provoke anger rather than heal wounds. Many speak with certainty about so-called martyrdom, so-called resistance, and fake sacrifice while living lives that are safe, modern, and completely insulated from the fear and loss that ordinary people endure through such preaching. This blending of religious sentiment with selective stories creates a powerful emotional pull, especially for young innocent minds who are east to manipulate. But the people preaching it face no risk, no terror violence and no broken homes. They speak loudly from a safe distance while those in the Valley are left to carry the burden of what these narratives inspire.
Money remains the strongest link between diaspora and local extremist groups. Even small amounts sent regularly can help terrorists buy weapons, mobility, safe houses and online tools. Money moving through informal channels is hard to track. Many diaspora donors believe they are supporting a political movement, not realizing that their funds are being used for terror acts. Terror groups are experts at mixing charity work with terror financing so that donors stay hidden and protected.
In this diaspora network, names often highlighted in public discussions include people like Asif Maqbool in the Middle East, Riffat Wani in Germany, Jalees Hyder in the UK, Muzzamil Ayub in UK and others scattered across countries such as Australia, the United States, and France. Many of them use social media spaces to amplify emotional narratives, mobilise opinion, and influence vulnerable minds from a distance. They promote ideas that create anger and unrest, yet they themselves remain untouched by the turmoil they help fuel. Living far from the ground reality, they can speak boldly, provoke others, and romanticise confrontation without facing the danger, loss, or fear that ordinary people in Kashmir may face through such acts. Their online visibility and activist posture often present them as concerned voices, but this preaching influences and crosses into manipulation and radicalisation, leaving local youth to bear the consequences while the diaspora remains safe abroad. The false narratives about Kashmir have been deeply shaped by this outside influence. Peace efforts inside the region often fall short because forces abroad continue to fuel anger. Every time there is a chance for stability, new campaigns begin online to stir doubt, fear and mistrust. Terror outfits use these campaigns to survive even when they are weak on the ground. This is how white-collar terrorism becomes a backbone for physical terrorism.
Understanding and eliminating this link is important if Kashmir is to see real and long-lasting peace. The terrorism cannot be solved only by stopping violence within the borders. It must also stop the flow of money, propaganda and encouragement coming from abroad. This requires stronger international cooperation, faster information sharing and closer monitoring of suspicious organisations. At the same time, Kashmiris need spaces where they can express themselves without being pulled into extremist narratives created by outsiders who benefit from instability.
The future of Kashmir depends not only on controlling guns but also on controlling the soft power that sustains them. White collar terrorism may look harmless from the outside, but it carries the weight of fear, confusion and manipulation. Exposing it is necessary for healing a region that has lived through generations of conflict. Only when these external influences weaken will Kashmir truly have a chance to build peace based on truth, dignity and security for everyone who calls it home.
The writer is a student activist and can be reached at soulofkashmir1@gmail.com