Terror Attacks in Mumbai - Steps to Counter Terrorism

In last almost 9 or 10 days, I have been following the entire episode on Terror Attack on Mumbai, I have followed all the possible sources of news, mail forwards, chats and blogs that I could lay my hands on. Almost every blog or newspaper article or mail forward in last 3 or 4 odd days can be linked to the POST MORTEM of the attacks. Questions being raised, fingers being pointed and moreover forwarders urging to do something or other including not to vote during elections.

Well I was aghast that how ridiculous thoughts can be. The worst that I read / seen was from the Pakistan, a media clipping where it was stated that the Mumbai Terror attacks were insider (read Hindu Radical) job and that Governement machinery was involved. That went up to the limits of saying that US was successful in camouflaing 9/11, but India failed miserably. Whatever, but later another news read - Pakistan admimts to US that rogue elments based in Pakistan might have been behind the attack, that too when Indian Government put the facts across the table to Pakistan counterparts. mind it Indian Investigation agency is being supported by US, UK and Israeli counterparts and there is a join probe (investigation) being carried out.

Now with all that, I made a turn around to find out about what all leaders have to say about these attacks, and to the best of them came from -

1. RR Patil - "बड़े बड़े शहरों में ऐसी छोटी छोटी वारदातें होती रहती हैं|" This too in front og the Camera.
2. Kerala CM - "If it were not Martry's house, even dog wouldn't have gone to them"

Both the most attrocious remarks from many politician I ever heard that too when its been declared as the attack on India (War situation) and when case of a Martyr is being dealt with. The first one then resigns siting morale etc and the second one is not ready to apologize too...Shameless creatures

On the other hand, yet once again the SMS round plays with MNS Chief's wife sending across SMSes claiming that those who lost life during combing operations were "मराठी माणूस". I was thinking what about other scores of whom died, what about scores of NSG/MARCOS/Army personnel most of whom were Non Marathi....and BTW where was this MNS Chief hiding till the final bullet was shot and NSG declared end of Operation to comb the seiged buildings?

Then yet another promise that we have heard N number of times that there would be a National level Intellignece unit consituted with a specialist force developed to tackle such situations in future with its base in the metroes.

But my question is when will all these promises be fulfiled?? when will Indians see a coordinated intelligence information taken into considerastions and then thwarting such attacks much before they materialize?? This is inadvertently a BIG time lapse in the timely action on the information received from US and other Intelligence units within India that the perpetrators succeeded in creating such a mayhem.

Moreover we are at a juncture where the regime of current government is towrads its fag end and we are almost close to the elections early next year. I am not sure whether we would be able to see the dawn in this regime, or whatever steps that the current government takes toards creation of the National level Security Agency, the new government would support them and would not overturn them.

The fellow countrymen need to raise up and join hands so as to ensure that the following steps are taken at the minimum and also that once steps are taken forward on these sides, change in government does not overturn them as well they do not get stuck in the RED TAPE BEAUROCRACY as it prevails in the Government offices and the departments. Like Home Department, Foreign Department, Security etc etc etc....

Suggestive Steps -

1. Issue National Identity Cards / Social Security Number to all the LEGAL National Citizens of the country with work assigned to a central agency. Control of this agency could be in Supervision of NSG/CBI

2. Central Intelligence and Security Operations Team to beConstituted, with direct reporting to the Chief of Army or NSG with trained Commondo Force provided with the Latest Ammunition training and provided with the latest ammunitions (incidentally most of the Police Force personnel in Mumbai Police didn't have the practice of operating their guns for more than 10 years)

3. Central Security Agency to be given Autonomous Power to act immediately on receipt of any Intelligence input with input provided to National Security Advisor (to be appointed from the vast pool of ex Army/Navy/Airforce Command). The NSA then should coordinate between Government and Central Security Agency rather than Home Minister.

4. NSA to have power to approach President in case of Contention with the Primi Minister or anyother minister over various issuesin sight then and President to be empowered to take the final decision in consultation with NSA, Chief of Army, Navy and Airforce.

5. Dedicated Shooting Range for Police Officers to be created at district levels with mandatory practice hours defined for each Police Officer right from Constable to IG

6. Police Officers of Sub-Inspector and Inspector rank be trained for Commando Operations mandatorily and that all the trained officers be made to rotate between state Police services and Central Security Agency. (Incientally Patrol Commandos that were inducted in Mumbai Police post 2003 are not to be seen anywhere these days).

7. Waterfronts to be made more secure by deployment of additional forces specifically around the major cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata etc.

8. In Case of Emergency number to be assigned ot Central Security Agency and this number to be available irrespective of carrier be it Fixed line, WLL or GSM mobile.

9. Central repository of Citizens along with their National Security number to be created and attached with their banking transactions, telephone lines (fixed or mobile), travel pattern and any other vital information as may be perceived.

10. Though Anti-Terror Act like TADA/MCOCA to be enacted and enforced nation-wide. Separate trial courts for such cases be consituted and operated under joint supervision of Chief Justice of India and the National Security Advisor.

11. Elected Mayor to be enforced for all the Metros and minimum qualification and Experience criteria to be enforced for them.

12. All the Mayors be aligned to the Central Security Agency and National Security advisors for dotted line reporting to ensure their responsibility does include Security of the city they represent.

Now these are my thoughts based on whatever I have read through various articles and evaluation of the lapses. I would rquest all there to pour i your thoughts alongside mine to be able to put a strong message to the Government.

And well once the points as suggested above are addressed, a regular update be provided across to the lawful citizens about the progress made.

Please join hands with me and the other like minded citizens of India for a safer and peaceful future.

Mayank

Mumbai Terror Attacks - High Time India Sheds its Soft State Image

I am away from my country for some time, but my heart beats for my Country. India the land of heritage, the land of peace and tranquility, the land of culture with unity in diversity and the list can go on and on and on. But then off recently it has become the land of terror attacks. not one or two, but a series of it. Its like whenever someone's idiosyncrasy gets heightened, we face attacks. For what being Soft and Generous and believing in our Judiciary???? Giving them another chance to destroy the setup?

Imagine the plight of Mumbai. Terror attack on the night of November 26, 2008 is the worst that ever hit any city and how?? Why??? and simple because we are soft, we do not have synchronization between the intelligence sources and there is lack of coordination for information exchange. We had already seen and witnessed these lapses during Gujarat and Delhi blasts, but what did we learn from them?? Absolute Zero....

In Mumbai attacks, we lost the brave son of soil in ACP, ATS Chief Karkare and the Sharp Shooter Vijay Salaskar along with 8 other police men. And what we get to hear from the Top Cops - "We are trying to catch them alive" For what?? why you want to waste nations financial resources and keep the cowards alive at nations expense???? When they can fire indiscriminately, why are we trying to withhold actions of our forces??? Don't we just have enough criminals enjoyin VIP treatment in various jails at the expense of Tax payers' money???

At this juncture my opinion is pretty simple - Shoot the Bloodie Terrorists right on Cameras for the other to get the lesson for not trying to play with the sovereignty of our Mother Land.