Terror is back. Twin bomb blasts struck Hyderabad Thursday, killing around 16 people and injuring over 117. Predictably, some opposition leaders accuse the Centre of bungling the job of fighting terror. If the charge can’t be entirely dismissed, the truth is there’s blame to go all round. Politicisation of terror poses the biggest hurdle to crafting a united approach to internal security. While politicians waste time debating whether terrorism is green or saffron, they put off critical nuts-and-bolts action to unify and professionalise anti-terror operations – with deadly consequences.
Consider that we had information about an imminent terror strike. The home minister said this was a “general alert”, suggesting it didn’t amount to actionable intelligence. Was he clueless about Delhi Police’s claim last year that an Indian Mujahideen operative had confessed to staking out areas in Hyderabad including Dilsukhnagar, the site of Thursday’s bombings? This input was in fact subsequently circulated. Whether or not it has a bearing on the latest attacks is for investigators to establish. But there’s still a question to be asked. Given the recent terror tip-off, why wasn’t security beefed up in Dilsukhnagar, more so since this crowded locality was targeted twice in the past?
Clearly, coordination is woefully lacking among central and state governments, and among security agencies under their command. The National Investigation Agency (NIA), set up in 26/11’s wake, is to aid Andhra police in probing the blasts. Whether that comforts people is debatable. NIA officials themselves claim to lack skilled manpower and access to a comprehensive database on terrorists. Moreover, they routinely face state-level jurisdictional constraints. No wonder NIA’s had a poor record of cracking terror cases.
Add to this shameful neglect of basic anti-terror protocols, thanks to shoddy policing. This was glaringly evident when cops didn’t cordon off the blast sites, risking contamination of evidence being collected for forensic study. Surely it’s urgent that we invest in training policemen, boost their numbers and modernise police stations – including by digitally linking them to enable quick transmission of information. Forensics is another key area requiring urgent upgrade.
Terror networks are tentacular. Terrorists don’t respect borders within or across nations when forming sleeper cells, conducting recces or plotting savagery. We can’t be ahead of their game, thwarting their depredations, unless we bury turf wars and stop politicking. Let’s revive the proposal to create a national counter-terrorism centre along the lines of America’s antiterror body, to facilitate data collation and analysis, intelligencesharing and coordinated operations on a national scale. Let’s also give the NIA more powers, such as the FBI enjoys in the US.
If the US has successfully scotched terror bids since 9/11, it’s because its political leaders and crime-busters concentrate on fighting the enemy instead of one another. We need the same focus. For millions of Indians who could be targets, it’s a question of life and death.
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