No one ever imagined how you turn a plane into a flying missile. No one knew about suicide attacks. No one knew that setting up multiple bombs in a city can bring it to its knees. No one knew that you can just walk in through coastline and start shooting. No one knew that star hotels could be the next target. (well, not everyone!).
After the deadly attacks on the WTC on 9/11, the Unites States beefed up its airport security, so did the rest of the world. India also did it share by increasing security checks at airports. We learned a lesson. We are now increasing the security at the Hotels.
After the recent Mumbai attacks, we are thinking of how to stop terrorists from entering through our coastline.
One thing that our Intelligence Agencies should be doing is to think like a Terrorist. If you notice the pattern of attacks, it’s all new. They used the planes as bombs, now a few young men sprayed bullets on to the street. They come up with new tactics all the time. I guess our authorities are only trying to stop another terrorist attack in the pattern they know of. The terrorists would have already started working on the new pattern.
Now how do we find their pattern? Think like a terrorist. I know it’s hard for ordinary citizens like us, but for those in the line of duty, in Intelligence it shouldn’t be that hard.
In serial killer movies/books/real life stories (The one like CITIZEN X, an HBO original movie), the investigators morale get deteriorated after months of chasing the killer. With every new death, the investigator would be taking it as, his own personal loss and failure. That’s when they start thinking like a serial killer. Who would I target next? Who would be my next victim? How will I trap him/her? How am I going to kill him?
Terrorists are serial killers.
I guess it could be a tough process to think like a killer. This is nothing new, but the results would be good if used intelligently.
THE CRAPBOOK 
I don’t think it will be tough for the intelligence agencies to think like a terrorist. After all, they are in contact with such people most of the time!
Good suggestion Xylene. I would like to add one too. Just like Israel did, the Indian agencies should earmark some terrorists and then ‘haath dho ke piche pad jaao'(lolz). Just finish them off this way. No doubt we will purge our society of this evil slowly and gradually if we achieve this…
Hmm..good post 🙂
I think they are planning something big…I just hope i am wrong..but something about what they do seems too complacent..
The Mumbai 26/11 pattern of 10 guys spraying bullets around could happen anywhere in the world anytime…USA has no of such attacks of this kind, remember the Washington sniper and the Columbain boys..Recently in Denmark another sicko went around butchering scores…
Terrorists are much more motivated and trained than the above geeks. This is not only the matter of thinking like them, the vital part is to make measures to ascertain the security of our citizens. Mumbai incidents had a predecessor in the Islamabad Marriot, and what did we do?
We allowed similar story to happen to us..:(
This is a real nice post! As you said, it’s probably going to be hard for us to even imagine things like these, but at least we can try. And I’m sure the books and movies have had some influence on the way the mind of the terrorist works!
Its worrying, everyone is talking of threat to airports. But suppose they think of something which no one knows about. A little unnerving.
Maybe we should get RAW guys to go into their camps as rats and moles. 🙂 and get all the information.
Interesting take on the topic Xylene. So different from the regular chest beaters -that includes me too 😦
Mithe,
Finishing off is good, because these guys could escape out of civilian courts due to lack of evidence.
But then we are civilized society, we cannot butcher them. Then there wouldnt be any difference between them and us.
Vishesh,
Thanks,Yes, they would be silent for a while and then come up with some other strategy.
Scorpio,
True, it has happened before, may be not the jihadi terrorists.
Yes, its sad that we ar not learning from our mistakes and from others.
Nikhil,
Yes, for ordinary people like us,we are not butchers.
Nita,
Yes, thats what I am worried about. Somewhere where we least expect it.
Seema,
hey, thats what RAW should be ideally doing. I dont know if they are just surfing the net at their offices for information 😀
This is a very good point. You need to think like them to stop them.
Killers?? killer jeans??(genes??)
That is a good point but you really don’t need to think like them when you already know where they are coming from. Our agencies already knew. U.S. has already warned India twice that this time the attack would be via sea route in Mumbai.
amreekandesi,
yes absolutely.
Moukound.
They do have those genes in them.
Amit,
Yes, our security agencies seems to be taking those warnings not seriously.
This is a valid observation and may do good. Also we may need some more collaboration between State and Security agencies.
Yes, not just “reacting” to terrorist is enough
we should be “pro active”
Better to recruit some small time criminals and ask them to give ideas on how they would plan their strategy next. Better policing and spies on the ground can be good option. Infiltrate small gangs cos all the big terrorist actions have in some way or the other been supported by the small gangs in the city.
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xylene
i think u got it partially wrong
i agree that it takes a thief to catch a thief,,,
terrorists arent serial killers they are serial psycopaths and dumbasses and worse their motivators never indulge in the terror act themselves but motivate minnions through money and brainwashing.
have u read kautalya ? it should be interesting
terrorists have many fathers …
lets take the current lot ,,, there is the dgang (and police chief declared that there was no internal support) then there is the isi , the sipah salaba , the let and the jud (old news) and the establishment in pakistan …
The govt here doesnt care, it has kept the vote banks happy, they have to act now because the rich patrons of slush funds are affected this time.it has been busy spying on the other political parties instead of keeping tabs on pakistan … something that reminds me of a pakistani general and isi during the indo pak war of 71
the cbi is a croony organisation and it is the supreme court hearing that gave ample proof of that(never mind the italian r).
there is a turf war between local agencies and it is not good
the police crime branch (mumbai which has become dumping ground for people with a poor record) and the mah ats,the ig mah mnroy a the ib and the raw and so on
there is a turf war in raw as many officers resent a non raw head imposed on it by the political masters…
there are more dog squads protecting the politicians than public and ditto the nsg which has been heavily misused, they dont even have their own plane …
shows where the govt priorities lie
what will the new federal agency that the govt proposes really do ??
totally agree…
added u on my blogroll… its an interesting read…
Yes. It is impossible to think like them or even predict their patterns. But we can at least strengthen our security apparatus in such a way that we should be able to deal with whatever is inflicted upon us.
Guys,
Am on vacation and thats the delay in the reply.
Chirag,
Yes definetly. But the only problem is people here wont take responsibility for anything, they wont take initiative as well.
Dinu,
yes 100% think like them to get there before they do.
Liju,
Yes you have seen the movie catch me if you can? In that the US government made use of the criminal to catch all the cheque fraudsters. We have to give them a chance to change if they want to, for the good.
Prax,
Yes, you can call them that. I agree with the ineffectiveness of the govt. The news channels says that half the NSG is on government duty to protect the politicians and the rest of the country have the other half to protect them from terrorists.
Alice,
Thanks, I would try visiting your as well soon. I am on vacation 🙂
Trailblazer,
Yes, we citizens can do our part. Inform the police if u see suspicious activity. Make sure your tenant is a ‘good’ guy. etc.
I think our intelligence agencies just need to be sincere and efficient in what they do…not to be corrupt and complacent. that will be half the war won.