Lets Work Together

Mumbai is no stranger to terrorist strikes, but there can be little doubt that this latest assault was qualitatively different. The implication
that we may have seen the debut of a new model of terrorism is one that should concern not just India but the global community. As, indeed, it seems to have done given that US, UK and Israeli investigative teams have flown to India with France and Australia
looking to follow suit. Of all the lessons they and our new home minister may take from Mumbai, two are of prime importance the vulnerability of any city to such an attack and the importance of securing extended coastlines.

A lack of infrastructure and poor communication may have hampered the initial response to the attack but these endemic issues should not obscure the larger picture, that this could have happened in New York or London. 9/11 was the first and likely last of its kind. Such high-profile operations are difficult to carry out in the face of security measures implemented since then. What the Mumbai attack has demonstrated is the viability of a new, leaner model. There are fewer moving parts, lower logistical requirements and less chance of detection by security forces. All it needs is a handful of men with automatic weapons who subscribe to an extremist creed. This tactical viability married to the strategic purpose of exposing vulnerability is a lethal combination.

Porous coasts are another crucial issue. As seen, captured vessels with appropriate identification and small boats with weak radar profiles can exploit holes in coastal defence. Navy deployment can combat this only partially; it must maintain readiness for operations in other theatres, leaving the onus on coast guard forces. In countries such as India and a number of European nations with extensive coastlines, this creates a serious vulnerability.

A new threat demands a new response. India has made a good start with the expansion of National Security Guard forces and the creation of a rapid response unit within the Maharashtra police as well as the beefing up of a third layer of coastal defence, marine police, all long overdue. But perhaps the most potent measure would be broad-based cooperation among the intelligence systems of various countries. India-US intelligence cooperation is already at an unprecedented level. The aftermath of the Mumbai attack provides an opportunity to further enhance it and add countries such as Israel to the framework.

Source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/EDITORIAL_COMMENT__Lets_Work_Together/articleshow/3785266.cms