Being united against terror is the only way to tackle it

Jan Mohammed Shaikh

The Union Home Ministry is likely to transfer the case of a terror module busted by the Special Cell of the Delhi police to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) because of its tussle with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS). A report in this paper stated how the two agencies are at loggerheads over the Special Cell not keeping the ATS in the loop about the arrest of a Dharavi resident. Then, the ATS arrested two more people in this case but did not hand them over to the Special Cell, deepening the rivalry.

The report goes into some detail about case development but the lack of communication between the two agencies is certainly detrimental to the case and the public at large.

Today, one of the cornerstones of fighting terror through investigations, tip-offs, intelligence is all about cooperation. It is about sharing as nations have realised that they have to come together to combat contemporary terrorism, no matter where it emanates. We hear and read reports about countries that had been targeted in an attack, that certain people had been alerted about a possible attack by another country. Yet, somehow the perpetrators managed to infiltrate and strike.

Similarly, we may not have heard of hundreds or even thousands of plots that have been thwarted at an early stage, or in the nick of time, simply because there has been cooperation and intelligence sharing. We hear repeatedly about leaders who talk about coordinating and forming committees in counter-terrorism operations.

The key words are togetherness, co-operation and unity. When borders melt to neutralise this threat, then surely two agencies within the country need to put their differences aside and adhere to the foundation of countering terrorism, which is being on the same page, talking to each other and exchanging information.