No. 6, January 2009

contd. to pg 2. [email protected]

Contact us: Terrorists Terrorists prefer urban areas because of their terrorists greater space for anonymity. Since is propaganda deed, by the attention the seeking goal of the Jaipur was targeted in May, Ahmedabad in July, New in Kanpur in September, October and in November – the most perfidious attack of them all. All of these attacks led to large-scale casualties, material damage and disruption of life and economic activity. ‘target-rich environment’, i.e. the presence ‘defined enemy’ of a in abundance: laymen, foreign officials, nationals, weights, corporate government heavy buildings symbolic/strategic with value, bus railway stands, stations, foreign airports, markets, centres, embassies, etc. This also gives advantage communication an to added terrorists to prevent kind any of maximise indiscriminate could that counter-terrorist state the by operation collateral damage. Unlike in rural areas, inhabitants in cities more heterogeneous and and that gives towns the are (November 2007). Since 2003, 16 major attacks have taken place in urban centres. Of these, four were in Mumbai, three in Delhi two and in Guwahati, , and one Jaipur, each and Ahmedabad. in In Bangalore, 2008 alone,

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Terrorism in in Terrorism Countering Urban Countering Issue Brief Issue u r m e e t www.clawsindia.in G Urban Urban terrorism reached India’s shores with and policy oriented in approach. Website: (August 2007) and the serial bombings in UP courts UP in bombings serial the and 2007) (August aspects conceptual and security national with dealing think-tank autonomous an is Delhi, New (CLAWS), Studies Warfare Land for Centre The of land warfare, including conventional and sub-conventional conflict and terrorism. conducts CLAWS research that is futuristic in outlook (February 2007), Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad (May Hyderabad Masjid, Mecca 2007), (February Hyderabad Park, and Chat Lumbini Gokul 2007), Bangalore (2005) and Mumbai (2006). More recent More (2006). Mumbai and (2005) Bangalore in bombings suicide and blasts serial the include cases Express Samjhauta the 2006), (September Malegaon then, the list of the targeted cities includes (2005), (2006),Jammu, (2005), Delhi Varanasi economy and vitiating the investment climate. the serial blasts in Mumbai in 1993. Since productive metros and larger cities of India and frequently paralysing economic booming India’s activity, undermine to tending is terrorism urban in nature. By striking terror into the the workforce hearts living of and working in the most wing extremism in large parts of Central India. However, the phenomenon of urban is of terrorism more recent vintage and is more diabolical of the northeastern militancy states, in Jammu and (J&K) and left- -supported state, India is still engaged in the process of nation of process the in engaged still is India state, marked been has process tumultuous This building. most in unending riots, communal by New Phenomenon As an ancient civilisation but a young nation- n 2 CLAWS Countering Urban...

terrorist is well served in the urban environment weapon systems at their disposal and their sources where the immediate audience is the greatest and of funding. The Indian linkages of the foreign terrorist where representatives of the print and electronic organisations need to be clearly identified. media are readily available and quite eager to report Terrorism in Indian cities is driven mainly the aftermath of an attack. by religious fundamentalists operating from Terrorist attacks in urban India are taking place across India’s borders, often with the support at regular intervals of every two-three months, of sections of the government machinery. The with steadily increasing frequency in the recent most active foreign terrorist organisations are the years. The attacks also have become more lethal. Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayebba (LeT), Jaish-e- Terrorists have now turned to ‘soft’ targets, but Mohammed (JeM) and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and are using ‘hard’ tactics like suicide attacks claiming the -based Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami hundreds of lives. Contemporary terrorist groups (HuJI). All four organisations are loosely affiliated are highly networked, more global in reach, with Osama bin Laden’s International Islamic have diverse motivations and are technologically Front whose ultimate aim is to establish an Islamic sophisticated. The present threat of urban Caliphate with India as an integral part of it. Of terrorism in India is diabolical, constant, deadly, late, these terrorist organisations have been known unpredictable and transnational. Preventing to receive local support from the banned Students and countering this menace needs a coordinated Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which wishes to response at the national level. liberate India from the materialistic cultural influence of the West and to create an Islamic society. Prevention Strategies The aim of the terrorist organisations planning strikes in Indian cities is to create an environment Identifying the Enemy of panic leading to a majority community In counter-terrorism, prevention is far more desirable backlash against the minority so that India’s than cure. The first step must be to identify the enemy. secular credentials are undermined. They also A comprehensive database of the terror groups active seek to force the government machinery to react in India must be drawn up, detailing their ideology, with repression and violence. The tools of terror organisational set-up, leadership, goals, modus are car and scooter , improvised explosive operandi, training systems, support network, the devices (IEDs) placed in trains and buses and, International Experience of Urban Terrorism While urban terrorism is relatively new to India, it has a long history in the international arena. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) had successfully fought British forces in Northern Ireland for several decades before a political settlement was finally negotiated with the Sinn Fein. Members of the IRA had well-established links with the FARC narco- terrorists in Colombia. The Baader-Meinhof gang, a communist urban guerrilla group, was responsible for several acts of terrorism in Germany in the 1960s and 1970s. Palestinian militants have managed to launch numerous terrorist attacks on Israeli civilians despite Israel’s vigorous preemptive measures and a proactive response strategy. In May 1980, Arab gunmen had seized the Iranian Embassy in London and held about 20 people . Members of Aum Shinrikyo, a cult group, carried out five coordinated Sarin gas attacks on several lines of the Tokyo Metro in March 1995. In September 2004, Chechen rebels seized a school building in Beslan, Russia, and held more than 1,000 students and teachers hostage; over 350 died in the botched up rescue attempt. CLAWS 3 occasionally, suicide bombings. Assassination India’s 7,516-km-long coastline along nine attempts and kidnappings are bound to follow. states and four union territories (UTs) and Heavily armed gunmen launched terror attacks 1,197 islands are especially vulnerable. The in Mumbai last month for the first time. The coast guard (an armed force of the union under tactics, techniques and procedures adopted by the Ministry of Defence and the marine police them clearly indicate that they had been given (state-level police forces), the primary agencies commando training either by the Special Services responsible for guarding the coastline, do not Group (SSG), the elite special forces of the have adequate personnel or infrastructure to Pakistan Army, or by retired Pakistani mercenary discharge their responsibilities. The “Coastal commandos who have joined the LeT. Security Scheme” launched in March 2006 by As the Mumbai experience has shown, well- the Union Home Ministry, in which 73 coastal armed terrorists are not easy to fight in urban police stations, 97 check posts, 58 outposts terrain as tall buildings and narrow lanes and and 30 barracks are planned, requires to be alleys provide inherent protection to them and revisited in terms of quantity and quality of the make the security forces easy targets. The presence proposed infrastructure. The decision to install of hostages further complicates military or police coastal radars all along the coast is appreciable. operations. Similarly, IED attacks and suicide In addition, police personnel of coastal states bombings are extremely difficult to detect or and UTs should be given specialised training in prevent in time. The key to success in fighting urban mounting maritime vigilance. Needless to say that terrorism lies in obtaining accurate intelligence better coordination among the navy, coast guard, about impending attacks and the neutralisation of customs and state police is required. There is also the terrorists before they can launch their planned an urgent need to register and regulate around attacks. While electronic surveillance, including 300,000 fishing boats operating in the seas off the the interception of communications, is no doubt Indian coasts. High security number plates for all useful, it is of critical importance to penetrate fishing vessels should be made compulsory. the networks and sleeper cells of the terrorist organisations so as to gain what has come to be Strengthening Intelligence called actionable intelligence. Accurate, timely and specific intelligence is an important tool for preventing terror attacks. Securing India’s Borders Terrorist attacks occur either due to absence Border security is critical for preventing terrorist of precise/actionable intelligence or of follow- attacks from across India’s porous borders. up action when such intelligence was available. India’s land borders have for long been used for Intelligence gathering in India, especially infiltration by inimical forces. Vigilance along preventive aspects of intelligence, needs substantial the borders needs to be substantially enhanced, improvement. In order to improve intelligence including through the use of hi-tech surveillance devices. Border management also needs to be more Since the threat of urban efficiently coordinated between various central terrorism is transnational in agencies that operate along the country’s borders. In this respect, the report of the Border Management nature, there is an urgent need Committee, established by the Group of Ministers for regional and international that studied the recommendations of the Kargil Review Committee, must be implemented in full networking of friendly at an early date. intelligence agencies. CLAWS 4 acquisition, it is necessary to penetrate the International cooperation leadership of the terrorist organisations for the collection of human intelligence (HUMINT) and should be based on a global monitor their communications set-up for the strategy against terrorism that collection of technical intelligence (TECHINT). “would be free from double Innovative measures need to be evolved for the collection of intelligence on terrorist groups. standards and self-serving Conventional methods are no longer relevant and interests, and would unite the are increasingly yielding diminishing returns. Since the threat of urban terrorism is transnational in world rather than divide it.” nature, there is an urgent need for regional and and sharing of information of suspicious movements international networking of friendly intelligence with point persons in the police and intelligence agencies. Most importantly, the central and state agencies. For instance, on every New York City intelligence agencies should share information subway train, the message to passengers since the methodically and it must trickle down in real-time terrorist attacks of 9/11 has been clear: “If you see to the user who is required to take action. something, say something.” For this purpose, urban Indians must organise themselves into neighbourhood ‘Target Hardening’ watch committees through community consensus Terrorists usually choose high-profile soft targets mechanisms based on genuine concern to prevent like markets, railway stations, airports, bus stands, future terrorist attacks. All communities should hotels, places of worship, government infrastructure be coopted in counter-terror measures instead of to attract maximum attention. Such targets should perceiving some as the “other”. The community of be put under maximum surveillance and protection. Indian fishermen should keep a constant tab on coastal The staff manning these places should be trained waters. Awareness creation among people should also in rendering first aid, evacuation techniques, and include ‘golden rules’ to be followed by the people in rescue and relief operations. Surveillance cameras, case of a terrorist attack. Such familiarisation will not metal and explosive vapour detectors and X-ray only minimise the lethality of terrorist attacks, but scanning machines should be installed at key access also reduce the consequent panic. points. Technology to detect and alert for suspicious activity such as loitering by an individual or vehicle Cooperation with Other Countries should be made use of. Security personnel should Since terrorism has become a global menace, be sensitised to spotting and segregating suspicious cooperation with other friendly countries that are objects that are left behind. also affected is crucial in countering it. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1373 Community Policing mandates all member countries to initiate steps in Without the eyes, ears and intuition of the this regard. International cooperation should be general public, it is difficult to identify a terrorist based on a global strategy against terrorism that who is anonymous and blends seamlessly into the “would be free from double standards and self- environment in which he is living and operating. An serving interests, and would unite the world rather effective battle against terrorism can be waged only than divide it.” The strategy should be to identify by involving members of the public. This includes breeding grounds of terrorism all over the world and creating societal awareness to keep a steady eye on gradually neutralise them through socio-economic tentative or errant behaviour in the neighbourhood measures and military action where necessary. 5 CLAWS

The government must enter into extensive into them. Other advantages include relatively low cooperative arrangements with friendly countries to political, economic and military costs and low risk maximise the advantages of intelligence sharing, seek of casualties to own operatives as local personnel training assistance and acquire expertise available – who harbour grudges against the targeted with countries like Israel and the United States that organisations – can often be used. have had a head start in this field. Joint military Young operatives must be selected and trained exercises aimed at enhancing counter-terrorism skills – first in the rudiments of intelligence gathering and should be made a routine. Each country can benefit after being given some in-country experience, in immensely from the other’s experience, technology, the complexities of high-risk special operations in intelligence and threat evaluation. For instance, a hostile foreign environment. They will also need Latin American countries like Columbia and Peru to be imparted specialised instructions in selecting, have immense experience in countering urban training and motivating local agents to carry terrorism; the US possesses the requisite technology; out pre-planned and opportunity strikes against Israel has compiled an enormous data base on nominated targets. It will take at least three to five pan-Islamist terrorist organisations. India should years to put in place basic capabilities for covert tap these resources on priority basis. Also, in the operations as both the terrorist organisations and absence of bilateral extradition treaties, a clear legal their handlers will have to be penetrated. Targets basis for international cooperation in investigating should include the leaders of fundamentalist terrorist attacks is missing. The UN can contribute terrorist organisations who are known to sponsor meaningfully to bridge this gap. terrorist strikes in India, their handlers and fugitives from Indian justice like . Deterrence and Operational Strategies Specialised Counter-Terrorism Forces Covert Operations The success of counter-terrorism operations depends In order to achieve a lasting impact and ensure that to a considerable extent on a speedy response, with the actual perpetrators of terrorism are targeted, operations being executed by the right force that is while simultaneously avoiding collateral damage, trained, armed and equipped suitably for the job it is necessary to employ covert capabilities to at hand. As the Guard (NSG) neutralise the leadership of terrorist organisations. is India’s primary strike force for counter-terrorist Clandestine operations can be methodically operations, it must be given the wherewithal to planned and stealthily executed at an opportune respond swiftly to terrorist attacks to minimise moment. These are not time critical responses and casualties and deny the perpetrators the ability also have an element of ‘plausible deniability’ built to consolidate. The central government’s recent decision to locate NSG echelons in the cities that The success of counter- have been targeted most frequently will enable the terrorism operations depends force to respond in a timelier manner. The NSG must to a considerable extent also be equipped with state-of-the-art technology on a speedy response, with and equipment to enable the commandos to enhance operations being executed by their operational performance and minimise their own casualties. Where necessary, the ’s the right force that is trained, elite special forces should be employed to counter armed and equipped suitably terrorist attacks in urban areas. Every state should for the job at hand. have an NSG-type commando force to counter CLAWS 6 ...Terrorism in India

lethal terror strikes. They can be called State Security ‘deterrence’ and ‘correction’ – are incorporated Guards (SSG). Local availability of such forces will and implemented in a balanced manner. ensure that precious time is not lost in transit. Conclusion Equip Police Adequately Though it is a relatively new phenomenon in India, Lack of proper equipment for police personnel urban terrorism is gradually taking root as a diabolical came to the fore during recent Mumbai terror threat to the state and to society, particularly because attack. For instance, even NSG commandos it is finding sponsors in neighbouring countries whose did not possess high-power night vision devices governments are either unwilling or unable to control to locate the terrorists, or the technology to terrorist organisations operating from their soil. determine where the gunfire was coming from. Since it is a new threat whose various manifestations Police constables are poorly armed and are yet to be fully comprehended, India’s response the firemen lack protection. Rehearsals has been sluggish and less than appropriate. The should be periodically undertaken for central and state governments must rely on both search-and-rescue operations after preventive strategies – premised on accurate and large-scale terrorist strikes. Different timely intelligence acquisition – and counter-terrorist contingencies should be simulated and operations to fight the scourge of urban terrorism. practised. Future training should also Specially-equipped and trained central and state forces cater for terrorist attacks in the form of must be employed for counter-terrorism operations. weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). These forces must be given the wherewithal necessary to deploy and launch effective operations quickly so Anti-terror Laws as to minimise casualties and damage. Also, urban The underlying issue is not adequacy terrorism is not a phenomenon that India can fight or inadequacy of laws, but their correct alone. It is only through a concerted international implementation. India has a very low approach that the adverse impact of growing urban conviction rate of less than 10 per cent terrorism can be minimised. in terrorism-related cases. This was so even under so-called draconian laws Brig Gurmeet Kanwal (Retd) is Director, like POTA and TADA as against 80 Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), per cent plus in Western countries. The New Delhi. Dr N Manoharan is Senior Fellow, success of counter-terrorism legislation Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), depends on how the provisions relating New Delhi. to all three levels – ‘prevention’,

Views expressed in this Issue Brief are those of the authors and do not represent the views of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies.

Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) RPSO Complex, Parade Road, Delhi Cantt, New Delhi 110010 Tel.: +91-11-25691308, Fax: +91-11-25692347, Email: [email protected] Website: www.clawsindia.in Issue Brief No. 6, January 2009 6, Issue Brief No.