US think-tank warns of more attacks on city
3 Feb 2009, 0234 hrs IST,
S Balakrishnan, TNN :
MUMBAI: The Rand Corporation, a highly-respected US think-tank, has warned of more terror strikes in India in the "forseeable future''. It has also stated that the 26/11 Mumbai attack had "local assistance''. TOI was the first to report about the Lashkar-e-Taiba "fidayeens'' getting local support to carry out their operation. But the investigators are still to explore the local angle.
The warning of future attacks came in the course of a testimony given by Brian Jenkins of the corporation before the US senate committee on homeland security and government affairs on January 28. It is titled `Lessons learned from the Mumbai attacks'.
Jenkins said India will continued to face a serious jihadi terrorist threat from Pakistan-based terrorist groups. "India lacks military options that have strategic-level effects without a significant risk of a military response by Pakistan. Neither the Indian or US policy is likely to be able to reduce that threat significantly in the short to medium-term. Most likely, the threat will continue to grow. Other extremists in India will inevitably find inspiration and instruction from the Mumbai attacks,'' he observed.
Apart from targeting the high-profile Taj and Trident hotels, which have a large number of foreigners, the 26/11 attackers also targeted ordinary people at CST rail terminus, Jews at Nariman Point and foreigners at Leopold Cafe.
Jenkins said, terrorists designed the Mumbai attack to do what the authorities were not expecting. "There were no truck bombs or people attempting to smuggle bombs onto trains, as in previous attacks. Since attacks against high-profile soft targets are relatively easy and cheap to mount, such institutions will remain targets of future attacks. Many of India's older symbolic buildings were not built with security considerations in mind or are at exposed locations.
Indian security agencies have taken Jenkin's analysis seriously and are urging the government to take appropriate measures.
S Balakrishnan, TNN :
MUMBAI: The Rand Corporation, a highly-respected US think-tank, has warned of more terror strikes in India in the "forseeable future''. It has also stated that the 26/11 Mumbai attack had "local assistance''. TOI was the first to report about the Lashkar-e-Taiba "fidayeens'' getting local support to carry out their operation. But the investigators are still to explore the local angle.
The warning of future attacks came in the course of a testimony given by Brian Jenkins of the corporation before the US senate committee on homeland security and government affairs on January 28. It is titled `Lessons learned from the Mumbai attacks'.
Jenkins said India will continued to face a serious jihadi terrorist threat from Pakistan-based terrorist groups. "India lacks military options that have strategic-level effects without a significant risk of a military response by Pakistan. Neither the Indian or US policy is likely to be able to reduce that threat significantly in the short to medium-term. Most likely, the threat will continue to grow. Other extremists in India will inevitably find inspiration and instruction from the Mumbai attacks,'' he observed.
Apart from targeting the high-profile Taj and Trident hotels, which have a large number of foreigners, the 26/11 attackers also targeted ordinary people at CST rail terminus, Jews at Nariman Point and foreigners at Leopold Cafe.
Jenkins said, terrorists designed the Mumbai attack to do what the authorities were not expecting. "There were no truck bombs or people attempting to smuggle bombs onto trains, as in previous attacks. Since attacks against high-profile soft targets are relatively easy and cheap to mount, such institutions will remain targets of future attacks. Many of India's older symbolic buildings were not built with security considerations in mind or are at exposed locations.
Indian security agencies have taken Jenkin's analysis seriously and are urging the government to take appropriate measures.
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