India's terror trouble: Will we ever take it seriously?

I had never imagined my first post from India would be about a series of terror attacks in two economically vibrant cities, 1,000-odd miles apart, which claimed over 50 lives and left more than 100 wounded.

I was in Singapore last Friday (July 25, IST), waiting to board my flight home to Bengaluru (Bangalore), India's tech city, when I heard about the blasts. Nine low intensity explosions (BBC reports seven) in the city earlier that day claimed two lives and injured dozens. The southern city of Bangalore was last hit in 2005, when a professor was gunned down and four others injured by gun-men brandishing AK-47s at the elite Indian Institute of Science.

I was expecting chaos and heightened security at the new Bangalore International Airport when my flight landed later that night. The process was remarkably smooth. I couldn't tell the city was on alert after a series of bomb blasts if I hadn't heard the news at Singapore airport.

I had barely settled down with my family --- pleased with the relative calm in the city and a crisis contained --- when the very next day, a series of 17 explosions ripped through the western commercial city of Ahmedabad (capital of the state of Gujarat that witnessed deadly communal violence in 2002), including two blasts at hospitals that were treating the injured. The attack has so far claimed 55 lives. Over a 100 were wounded.

In the days that followed, over 20 unexploded bombs were discovered in Gujarat's "diamond city" of Surat. A couple more were discovered in Bangalore and Ahmedabad as well. The country is on high alert, even as bomb hoaxes add to the distress.

This is not our first face-off with terror strikes: India has been dealing with this demon for decades now. This
New York Times story states that according to the Washington-based National Counterterrorism Center, between January 2004 and March 2007, the death toll from terrorist attacks
in India was over 3,000, second only to that in Iraq during the same period.

But our security agencies seem to be struggling to piece together the cases individually and to establish a connection, if any, between them. I am left just as flummoxed as I try to piece together a story from news that is trickling in bit-by-bit everyday. In the past one week, we are still figuring out the basics, and reports are swinging the full 180 degrees:

The blasts may be linked/ They are probably not. Splintered jihadi groups may be behind the attacks
The unexploded bombs in Surat were only meant as a show of strength./The bombs were meant to have a deep impact. After Ahmedabad, security agencies were combing cities for bombs, so the perpetrators had to abandon their Surat plans.
The bombs were of low intensity, so the attack couldn't have been masterminded professionally. /The modus operandi of terror groups are getting more sophisticated. Al-Qaeda's footprints are emerging. Integrated circuit chips were used to assemble bombs in Bangalore and Surat.
Emails of more terror strikes were sent out to media houses (just prior to the Ahmedabad blasts) from an obscure group calling itself the Indian Mujahideen, a group believed to be a new front of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). /Cops are unsure about this. While SIMI activists are being detained, al-Qaida-linked Indonesian terror group Jemaah Islamiyah is the new suspect.

Phew! Whoever is behind these attacks, have achieved one huge success: We are confused and struggling to see the whole picture. And if we don't get our act together quickly, they will accomplish more than a few blasts. This is what I am left worrying about all day:

We are weeks away from August 15, India's Independence Day. Is this a dry run? If it is, we are lucky we figured it days before the big day. The country stays on alert and security agencies get a chance to comb the country.
We are months away from general elections next year. Terrorism has to be back on the table, nuclear deal or no...
Which brings us another problematic law: The Prevention of Terrorism Act (link via Council on Foreign Relations) that was introduced in 2002 by a right wing government, and repealed in 2004 by the current government for being draconian and misused. It's easy to want this law revived especially under such circumstances, but I'd like more caution. A law that gives authorities the right to detain "suspects" indefinitely without trial, demands an exceptional level of integrity and efficiency from law enforcement agencies, and I doubt we can claim to have such a system in place.
So do we have a well-conceived, equipped anti-terror unit and plan in place? I doubt it. We've been hearing the "we-knew-this-was-coming-and-warned-the-states" refrain fairly regularly. If we can barely get the Center and our states to co-operate and act on available intelligence on time, we don't have a working system in place.
And then the complaint that investigations are hard because terrorists aren't following known patterns. Yeah, right, that's what they'll do. Make it easy for us to investigate. Bad criminals make bad cops (probably heard that one on The Wire, but how true).
Or have we got too comfortable with these blasts? Such attacks have become so periodic and commonplace and bereft of any twin-towers grandeur that we may have begun to overlook the importance of staying on top.
More importantly, it's time we demanded answers and felt enraged by our government's failure to protect us. A good economy and promises of good lives are at stake. Stability is essential. Too much talk so far, too little action, and a whole lot of omissions.

Leading National (English) news coverage on the blast in India:

Rediff.com

Times of India

Hindustan Times

CNN-IBN

NDTV

BLOGS on blasts and terrorism:

Harini at A Point of View
Nita at A Wide Angle View of India
Musings at Diyasthots (Diya was in Bangalore when the blasts happened )
Life of an Indian Homemaker
The Naive Indian

Snigdhasen also blogs at India Crumbs

Submitted by snigdhasen (view blog

) on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 10:14

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Wow

Great post Snigdha, thank you for reporting this during your "vacation".

Stay safe, keep us updated.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

Submitted by Denise on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 07:58

Thank you, Denise!

You guys were so quick to ask about my welfare. Touched :)
It's a different feeling to be blogging about India from India.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 08:57

How shocking

I had no idea that this had happened (although I'm not that tuned into the news, other than online.) What a thorough job you've done of reporting a very confusing series of events.

Take care of yourself!

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Submitted by Kalyn Denny on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 08:12

Thanks and a curry story...

Kalyn, thanks! I am still quite overwhelmed by all the pieces of this crazy story. I am sure the authorities are too.

(P.S.You know, curry leaves grow like crazy around here. We just step out and pluck them off a tree. But they don't smell the way they do in the U.S.! The aroma is missing. Mom says this tree in our neighborhood isn't great. Wonder where the U.S. gets its supply from...)

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 09:01

Thank You

Thanks for opening our eyes to the status of other portions of the world.

Please be safe!

http://www.simplestop.net - Stop your postal junk mail, Protect the environment, Protect your identity.

Submitted by Gustavion on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 08:25

Sure thing

i somehow had the notion this would've made big news in the U.S. I guess the the elections are taking up most of the country's mindspace.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 09:46

The LA Times print and web

The LA Times print and web site has reported on it.

Black Phoebe :: Ms. Jen
Barflies.net
Around Ireland
The Happy Tastebud

Submitted by msjen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 15:55

There you go..

Yes, Ms. Jen, I found this story in most of the leading American websites: NYT, CNN, etc. Just didn't know many people actually followed it. India's war on terror is just as crucial for the U.S.as any other country's. The sooner we realize it, the better for both countries.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 21:24

After 9/11 ...

... I remember a friend from South Africa trying (without success) to help me put the attacks in perspective with information that South Africa experiences an attack or so a day. That idea has never left me.

Be safe ...

Alanna Kellogg
Kitchen Parade &
A Veggie Venture

Submitted by Alanna Kellogg on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 08:26

South Africa?

Wow! Islamic millitancy in South Africa? Thank you for letting us know, Alanna.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 09:49

What A Frightening Situation

Hi Snigdha,

It must be terrible to live under the constant uncertainty of what community might be hit next. Hopefully the authorities will redouble their efforts to figure out who's responsible.

Take care,

Megan Smith
BlogHer Contributing Editor, TV/YouTube
Megan's Minute: Quirky Commentary Around The Clock

Submitted by Megan Smith on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 08:41

Waves

That's the problem, Megan. They happen in bursts. Then everyone is up in arms. Times passes by and all becomes history until the next attack. I don't think we have a security system that is equipped to deal with the kind of terrorism India is facing and will face in future. The face of terrorism is changing fast and unless you have an entire wing of the government dedicated to fighting terror, we'll continue to suffer.

Add the that international politics and the game becomes tougher.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 09:55

Thanks for this.

Great reporting, Snighda -- I pray that August 15 will pass safely. What a wounded world we live in!

Just a few days ago, I read about the humanitarian crisis resulting from the violence in the state of Andhra Pradesh. According to Human Rights Watch, as many as 50,000 people have fled the region since 2005, and no assistance is forthcoming from the government. In fact, they charge that government forces have been implicated in a number of attacks. If HRW is correct in its reporting, is this kind of corruption part of what is leading some people to become terrorists?

Finally, is there anything that those of us outside of India can and should be doing?

Kim
BlogHer Contributing Editor|Professor Kim|

Submitted by Kim Pearson on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 09:46

Great question, Kim

We certainly cannot rule that out in any part of the world -- abused people do take to arms.

However, it appears that these attacks are probably related to the so-called "jihad". But India's naxalite movement has been attributed to the government's failure to develop tribal areas.

As Americans you can do with greater conviction what you already have been doing (and this applies to citizens of all free nations): stay aware of international news and question your government's international policies: who your country is allying with and why. For example, the U.S. has finally confronted its old-time ally, Pakistan, with proof that its intelligence service was aiding millitants. India has been crying hoarse for years about this. This is not to say that India is blameless -- I mention this in context of the terror attacks -- but people of every democratic nation should, i believe, question the motives of an alliance.

Thank you, Kim, for your thoughtfullness.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 10:13

Excellent post. Please be safe.

This is an excellent post, and excellent reporting.

PLEASE BE SAFE!

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

Submitted by Catherine Morgan on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 14:54

Thanks Catherine!

Concern much appreciated :)

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 21:29

A comprehensive report!

You have covered everything in this comprehensive report about the blasts, Snigdha.

India does not need outrageous laws like the POTA to combat terrorism. There are more than enough laws in India. Disgusting laws like POTA, TADA and AFSPA create more problems because they are abused by the corrupt authorities more than being used to prevent attacks. State-sponsored terrorism and human rights violations in the name of sordid, despicable laws are as bad as jihadi terrorism!

Apart from lack of co-ordination between various agencies (not just between centre-states and between different states but between the different agencies within the same state), India's law enforcement agencies are highly corrupt, overworked, poorly trained and poorly paid, use outdated techniques of investigation and are completely out-of-tune with modern technology. For instance, I read that a local terrorist mastermind managed to flee the country after getting away from the police in a high speed road chase. Not surprising in the least, because the police forces in almost all states use outdated, crude, slow and humungous UVs and SUVs. They can barely manage to catch an autorickshaw with such vehicles, let alone a determined terrorist or even a common thief on a quick motorcycle in city traffic. Except for the specialists within the police force, the average policeman patrolling the street would not know much about the latest technology.

As opposed to jihadi terror that is sponsored from foreign soil by dangerous forces, naxalism is a completely indigenous movement that started because of the oppression and exploitation of tribals and other marginalised groups in the countryside.

Raj

Submitted by An alien earthling on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 20:06

You got it, Raj!

Raj, thank you for this comment. I couldn't have explained this situation better myself!

Yes, this has been by complaint, always. We need to fix the foot soldiers first: equip them to deal with ground realities. This top-down approach is ridiculous. We have been dealing with terror for so many years and we still haven't gotten around to putting an efficient system in place.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Fri, 08/01/2008 - 21:35

Please be safe

Thank you for this article. I am just reading it now. Thank you for opening my eyes. I will be praying for your safety.
~~ Contributing Editor, Mata H. also blogs right along at Time's Fool

Submitted by Mata H on Sat, 08/02/2008 - 03:15

Thanks Mata!

Things seem to haev cooled off again. Let's see what these "investigations" reveal, if at all.

Thank you for your prayers.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Sat, 08/02/2008 - 07:34

India and terror

This has been well covered in the U.S. You are correct in your assertion that we all need to be informed on what's going on in the world at large. I get my information from more sources than the mainstream media. I would like to suggest some reading material which gives a look through a large lens and explains the dynamics currently at play. It's called "The Pentagon's New Map" by Dr. Thomas P. Barnett. When I read it there were many, many lightbulb moments.

He also has a blog which covers a full spectrum of "what's goin' on".

Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

Submitted by the farmers wife on Sat, 08/02/2008 - 06:27

Fabulous!

Suzanne, thanks a ton for the link. I will read it. So great that you read widely.

I'm glad it was covered well there. In fact, questions are now being raised about if and when India and the U.S. will start co-operating seriously on this issue.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Sat, 08/02/2008 - 07:38

Sorry, that didn't work

http://www.thomaspmbarnett.com/weblog/

Submitted by the farmers wife on Sat, 08/02/2008 - 06:27

??

Submitted by the farmers wife on Sat, 08/02/2008 - 06:27

Thanks!

Thanks for the report, Snigdha. It is interesting to see how terrorism affects different countries and how it is a growing threat.

Travel safe.

Submitted by suebob on Sat, 08/02/2008 - 16:08

Suebob, thanks!

Yeah, this has been a threat for decades: it's getting more global now.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Sun, 08/03/2008 - 08:08

Stampede kills 145 people in India

This isn't terror related but it's very sad. Apparently many of the dead were women and children.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080803/ap_on_re_as/india_temple_stampede

Thousands of panicked pilgrims stampeded Sunday at a remote mountaintop
temple in northern India during celebrations to honor a Hindu goddess,
sending dozens of people plummeting to their deaths and trampling
scores more. Police said 145 people were killed.

Rumors of a landslide apparently started the panic at the shrine in the
foothills of the Himalayas, said C.P. Verma, a senior government
official in the Bilaspur district.

Contributing Editor Catherine Morgan
at catherine-morgan.com, The Political Voices of Women, Care2 Election

Submitted by Catherine Morgan on Sun, 08/03/2008 - 11:55

It's been a sad week

Too many people died in India this past week, Catherine. I haven't seen anything like this in a while.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Mon, 08/04/2008 - 07:24

As usual you have written an

As usual you have written an objective post Snigdha, but was rather surprised that you are writing even while on vacation. Well, I guess you are in Bangalore, the city of the blasts and that is why. Otherwise you are absolutely right, over here the complacency is seen to be believed. People seem to go back to their normal life almost immediately! I don't know what to think...! As you said, we need to shout and demand our right to protection.

Nita

Submitted by Nitajk on Mon, 08/04/2008 - 23:13

Complacency

Well, Nita, you know well how superficial our outrage is: it comes and goes...I'm in India for a bit and I hope to be able to write as frequently as possible.

Submitted by snigdhasen on Tue, 08/05/2008 - 03:37