Terror track

Just as the first anniversary of the November 26 terror attacks approaches, we have received new information about the planning that went into those attacks as well a series of terror alerts about possible strikes in some western Indian states.

The arrest of David Coleman Headley, the US national of Pakistani origin who is suspected of being a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist and of his colleague Tahawwur Hussain Rana, who is a Canadian national, has thrown up information about how they travelled around India, reconnoitering sites, checking facts and laying the groundwork for the 26/11 attacks.

Unfortunately, this shows the extent to which our intelligence agencies were unable to pick up the signs before the attack. Headley lived in Mumbai for almost two years, set up a business, went out around town and made friends with many people. Details are emerging of his associations with locals leading to the conclusion that he may have had something to do with the attacks. At the very least he would have got a sense of the way the city worked.

Indian investigating agencies have not yet got the opportunity to talk to him but they are getting inputs from the FBI. What this shows is that the shadowy terror organisations go about their business with meticulous planning. Recall the first ever bomb blasts in Mumbai (then Bombay) in 1993 which too were planned down to every small detail and involved many people. 

More than just looking back at the sins of omission and commission that led to 26/11 it is important to ask what lessons have been learnt and what measures have been taken to ensure that nothing like that ever happens again. Terrorism doesn’t come with a warning so it helps to be prepared. Do we have systems at every stage, from intelligence to coordination of various agencies and finally, the handling of the aftermath? A new counter-terrorism outfit Force One has been set up but is still struggling to find a home. Coastline patrolling by the Mumbai police is still not at optimum level. And, sadly, many of the victims have yet to receive compensation.

We have seen how Pakistan has mocked India’s dossier on the attacks and its dilly-dallying on the trial of one of the key accused. In India the case of the lone terror accused of 26/11 is moving apace. That is the difference between a true democracy and a sham one. But we have to do much more. The authorities have to take steps that assure citizens that their safety is in good hands. The first anniversary of those bloody days and nights is approaching and should be a good time to take stock of our preparedness. The picture we see so far is hardly rosy.