Lessons to be learnt from Mumbai terror attack

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After two days of unprecedented terror in Mumbai, it is time to ask the first questions. What do we know about the terrorist groups that perpetrated this attack? How efficiently and effectively did we respond and what are the lessons for the future? Kapil Sibal, Minister of Science and Technology; Ved Marwah, former Director General of the National Security Guard and former Police Commissioner of Delhi, Ajit Doval, former Head of Intelligence Bureau; and Brajesh Mishra former National Security Advisor debate and discuss these critical issues.

 

Here is a verbatim transcript of the panel discussion on CNBC-TV18's show War of Words anchored by Karan Thapar. Also see the accompanying video.

 

Q: After 60 hours, the first attack in Mumbai is over. Let us now turn to the question that everyone has been speculating about for the last two-and-a-half days, do you have any idea who is responsible for this terror attack?

 

Sibal: Before we start, we ought to record our appreciation for the wonderful work that the NSG, the ATS (anti-terrorist Squad), the Black Cat Commandos, the MARCOS (Marine Commando Force), and the police force have performed. After 60 hours, we are free and rid of the terrorists. But we have to ask ourselves the question how could this have happened, and how did it happen. I don't think there can be business as usual.

 

In response to your question, what do we know? I don't have any real official information on this. But what I do know on the basis of media reports is that obviously people have come from Karachi, landed in Porbandar, took motorboats and came to Mumbai.

 

One of those who have been caught has spoken to the intelligence agencies and revealed certain details but I came to know about this from the media.

 

Q: Is it likely to be al Queda that is behind it? Is it likely to be Pakistani-based jihadi groups, home grown terrorist outfits, or a mixture of all three?

 

Marwah: A mixture of all the three. From the evidence that has so far come through the media, one can safely say that it is a major operation having the hallmark of al Queda.

 

The manner in which they have come from Karachi to Mumbai shows that there is a Pakistani hand.

 

Again, these types of incidents of hostage taking place in a small scale have occurred in Jammu & Kashmir and Lashkar-e-Taiba was directly involved with those cases.

 

The skill of this operation is something unprecedented but this hostage taking is not unprecedented. I think the weapons or the explosives which they have used - hand grenades and all - have been used before.

 

So, I would say that this is an al Queda-motivated Lashkar-e-Taiba and ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence) masterminded operations. Operators have had lot of support from the criminal mafia in Mumbai and the various other extremist organizations in our country.

 

Q: While the Prime Minister has so far only said that terrorists were based outside the country, Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, publicly in Mumbai, unequivocally blamed Pakistan. Is he right in doing so or do you think that at this stage that could be jumping the gun?

 

Doval: I don't think that he is jumping the gun. The events are very clear, if you see their sequence and the scale. One thing is very clear that the idea has germinated somewhere within the establishment of Pakistan. Now, where they have got their resources for collecting intelligence, for getting the maps of hotels, or getting the manpower to do the work, for getting the RDX and the weapons to be sent? May be, different groups on which they exercise control must have been leveraged.

 

I totally agree with. Marwah that probably the underworld have been leveraged in a big way. Also, the terrorist groups on whom they have got control must have provided manpower for that, but the scheme, the overall plan is definitely something that appears to be ISI-sponsored. It is not jumping the gun.

 

I think we should be very clear in identifying and defining the enemy.

 

To watch the entire debate, please see the accompanying video...