The deadly bomb blast at Delhi’s Red Fort area, one of the busiest and most crowded parts of the capital city, is a warning that the ugly phase of terrorism is making a comeback.
The location and timing of the blast establish three important aspects of terror attacks: the element of surprise, the importance of the target, be it a person or a place, and the publicity mileage—national and global news coverage.
The attack has been condemned by several world leaders and widely reported by the global media. As for the importance of the spot, the Red Fort is one of India’s most important national symbols, as the Prime Minister addresses the nation here on Independence Day. Besides, there are several religious places in the vicinity. The perpetrators of the terror attack have announced with brazen audacity that terrorism has once again reached the heart of India’s capital.
This is not the first time that the historic Red Fort has been chosen as the target for a terror attack and/or bomb blast. In December 2000, two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists opened fire at the Red Fort, exposing the chinks in India’s urban counterterrorism armour. The attack exposed poor coordination between central and local intelligence agencies, weak actionable inputs, preventive arrests, and operational unpreparedness, forcing the Union government to introduce corrective measures.
The blast on 10 November, initially suspected to be a suicide squad (Fedayeen) attack, is being investigated. More details will be revealed in time. However, whatever the outcome of the investigation, one thing is clear that the attack is only the tip of the iceberg.
End of terror-free decade
Last week’s attack is even more serious as it comes after almost a ‘terror attack free’ decade. There have been major attacks, such as the ones in Pathankot, Uri, Pulwama, Pahalgam, and several incidents in other states. In all these cases, the links were established to terror outfits and terrorist training centres based across the border. While the handlers were in safe hideouts, the terrorists infiltrated through porous borders and found safe houses in Jammu & Kashmir and sleeper cells elsewhere. However, the blast in Delhi tells a different story.
The J&K Police conducted detailed enquiries on people suspected to be carrying out anti-India activities. This led to the nefarious activities of some who are educated and endowed with respectful employment. They could not be easily suspected of being dangerous terrorists who had amassed huge quantities of lethal weapons and dangerous chemicals to blow up either the entire city or cause extreme damage to life and property, like the Beirut Port explosion in 2020.
The Red Fort bomb blast not only revealed the perilous criminal nexus and links, but also confirmed the need for greater cooperation, effective standard operating procedures (SOP) among central and state intelligence agencies, and accelerating last-mile alertness of counter-terrorism operations. Without effective teamwork, the intensity of the attack could have been manifold and spread across a much larger area.
While the central and state governments are working toward Viksit Bharat 2047, it is equally vital to build a terrorism-free Bharat. The Red Fort blast is neither an accident nor an isolated incident. It could be a dry run for a much greater and virulent terror operation. Our police and other agencies have done exemplary work, but the bomb blast incident has also exposed serious vulnerabilities.
Also read: India’s much-maligned intelligence agencies are our only hope against terror attacks
Massive crackdown
On Monday morning, the J&K and Haryana police raided a house in Faridabad and recovered approximately 2,563 kg (5,650 lb) of explosives, and other materials like ammonium nitrate chemical, reagents, inflammable items, and electronic circuits, used for making bombs. On 9 November, the police also seized 350 kg of explosives and various arms and ammunition from another house.
As per the police, both houses were rented by Mujammil Shakeel, a doctor from Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir. The police arrested Muzammil Ahmad Ganai (also referred to as Mujammil Shakeel) from Pulwama and Adeel Majeed Rather from Qazigund, both doctors who were allegedly a part of the Islamic terrorist groups Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.
An individual can possess up to 5 kg of ammonium nitrate for scientific and educational purposes after notifying the local police station. For quantities above 5 kg, individuals or companies need a license from the relevant authorities, which involves submitting a safety and security management plan after the UPA government banned the open sale and storage of ammonium nitrate in 2011. The agencies should immediately crack down on the illegal sale of this chemical.
There is an urgent need to galvanise reforms in anti-terrorism laws, and redefine our counterterrorism and national security and strategy stance through a strong doctrine.
Even as the investigation takes place, the Union government could form a task force on counterterrorism to brainstorm on issues such as insulating the youth, educational institutions, as well as professional workplaces like hospitals, research laboratories, higher educational institutions (HEIs) and central and state government offices. The team can also work on the details of the National Security Doctrine so as to determine certain standard operating procedures and command and control protocols.
For example, the Red Fort was crowded even after the blast, with people recording the aftermath of the terror attack on their mobiles. A serial blast could have endangered even more lives of bystanders and over-enthusiastic ‘reel makers’. Another avoidable aspect was to allow the so-called ‘investigative journalists’ to roam around the crime scene freely and inadvertently tampering with significant evidence. The place should have been cordoned off immediately and declared a ‘no-go’ zone for the public.
Similarly, reports of large-scale GPS “spoofing” around Delhi Airport last week were probably not an unexpected technical glitch. It could have been a test of our vulnerabilities in the sky, posing a much larger security threat. The concerned ministries, Air Traffic Control rooms, and airport security need to work together and scale up airport security.
A robust counter-terrorism mechanism requires intelligence sharing and teamwork among agencies. Investigating agencies must have a fairly free hand to acquire advanced technology and fine-tune existing tools. Strong deterrence comes through a speedy judicial process and stringent punishments. Political convergence and public awareness on issues of national security are also important. But above all, the Union government needs to seriously consider eliminating the fountainhead of terrorism, both domestically and across borders.
Seshadri Chari is the former editor of ‘Organiser’. He tweets @seshadrichari. Views are personal.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)