Messaging app turns terror tool: How Telegram helped Jaish-linked terror module plan the Red Fort blast | Explained

It played an important role in several global movements. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used Telegram to rally citizens during the Russian invasion. Protesters in Hong Kong and Belarus relied on it to organise anti-government demonstrations.

But the same qualities that make Telegram appealing for privacy advocates have also attracted extremists. The app’s encrypted private chats, large public channels, and minimal moderation have created an environment where hate groups, terror outfits, and criminal networks can thrive.

A magnet for extremists

Over the years, Telegram has become a key communication tool for terrorist organisations. Groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS), al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah have used the app to spread propaganda, recruit new members, and coordinate attacks.

At a TechCrunch conference in 2015, Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov was asked about the growing misuse of his platform. His reply was controversial: “The right for privacy is more important [to Telegram] than our fear of bad things happening, like terrorism.”

Two months later, ISIS carried out the Paris terror attacks, killing 130 people and injuring more than 350. Investigators later found that the attackers had used Telegram and WhatsApp to plan and coordinate their movements.

After the attacks, Telegram promised to remove ISIS-linked channels and accounts. While the company did block many public groups, extremist propaganda still circulates in smaller private channels. A 2024 report by the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) noted that ISIS-related activity on Telegram had become “minimal and unstable” but never disappeared completely.

Investigations reveal a dark network

A New York Times investigation into Telegram’s ecosystem revealed how widespread illegal activity has become on the platform. Analysts reviewed more than 3.2 million messages across 16,000 channels and found thousands of communities promoting extremism, hate, and crime.

The newspaper identified about 1,500 white supremacist channels with nearly a million users globally. Other groups openly sold firearms, narcotics, and forged documents. Some even advertised the delivery of cocaine, heroin, and MDMA to more than 20 countries.

Despite these findings, Telegram’s management has repeatedly argued that it cannot monitor or censor its platform at scale. Axel Neff, one of Telegram’s early team members, admitted that the company employs only around 60 people, half of whom are engineers. “If Telegram receives a court order that confirms you're a terror suspect, we may disclose your IP address and phone number to the relevant authorities. So far, this has never happened,” Neff told Frontline in 2024.

Telegram’s policy of “limited cooperation”

Telegram’s privacy policy severely restricts the data it can share with law enforcement. In a 2024 interview with Fox News, founder Pavel Durov said the company refuses to cooperate with government requests that are not “in line with our values of freedom of speech and protecting people's private correspondence.” He also admitted that Telegram declined to assist the U.S. congressional investigation into the January 6 Capitol riots.

A company spokesperson told Frontline that Telegram stores “very limited data” on users, which makes it difficult to provide information to authorities. “Police, governments and users are able to report content to Telegram they believe is illegal. Telegram processes these reports according to its terms of service,” the spokesperson said.

In response to reports linking its platform to the incident, Telegram told Moneycontrol it has strict policies against the use of its service for violence or extremist activity. The company stated that it actively monitors public channels, removes harmful content on a daily basis, and works with global organizations such as the Etidal Center to combat online extremism. Telegram also maintained that it operates in compliance with India’s IT Act, 2021, and takes action against any verified misuse of its platform.

The Red Fort blast and the digital shadow

For Indian security agencies, Telegram’s lack of transparency has added a new challenge. Investigators say Dr. Umar Mohammad and his associates used encrypted Telegram groups to plan the Red Fort attack and communicate with handlers abroad. The use of professionals such as doctors in terror operations marks a worrying shift in the tactics of Pakistan-backed groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Officials warn that Telegram’s resistance to oversight has turned it into a breeding ground for global terror networks. While the platform remains a valuable tool for communication and activism, its unregulated spaces are increasingly being exploited by those who thrive on secrecy, chaos, and violence.

As one senior investigator put it, Telegram has become “a double-edged sword — a platform for freedom, and a shield for those who use that freedom to destroy it.”