'Tackle terrorism through political initiative’

Tackle terrorism through political initiative’
Other method is to use force, says Ajit Doval
URL:
http://justsamachar.com/local/tackle-terrorism-through-political-initiative/?r=http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/06/stories/2008020662320400.htm

Security agencies working towards shaking the root of terror groups
Police not able to take steps in real time after terrorist acts

The best way to tackle terrorism is to degrade the capabilities of terrorist groups by adopting extreme benevolent measures, the former Director of Intelligence Bureau Ajit Doval has said.
Speaking on “Terrorism disasters and mitigation” on Tuesday, Mr. Doval said essentially terrorism was a political battle and there was a political dimension involved in it.

He said benevolence basically was a political action that needed to be practised for changing the attitude of the cadre of the terror groups. Mr. Doval referred to the sops offered by the Union Government to the Mizo National Front that converted many of its supporters and neutralised the militant outfit. Similar measures were being taken for the United Liberation Front of Assam. “This is the best method to tackle terrorism,” he said.
Mr. Doval was participating in the three-day national seminar on terrorism disasters organised by the Directorate of Home Guards and Civil Defence and International Resource Development Centre. The other method, Dr. Doval said, was to use force to bulldoze the terror groups similar to actions taken in Afghanistan and Iraq. The former Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto used force to ruthlessly crush the Baluchi National Movement in 1970s. “This method, though questionable, is accepted today,” he said.
The security agencies have been working towards shaking the root of terror groups. They have been hitting at the thinkers and intellectuals behind the extremist groups and then trying to change the attitude of the cadre. Terrorism now has a wider network that includes underworld criminals, local criminals, gun runners and saboteurs. It will not be difficult to break this network, which would hamper the plans of foreign mercenaries involved in spreading terror in the country.
Though appreciating the work of police in fighting terrorism, Mr. Doval lamented the fact that the police have not been able to take steps in real time after the terrorist act. Lately police have not been able to adhere to this aspect. “If the police do not succeed, it will lose the confidence of the people and the government. This will have a demoralising effect,” he said. The police was in need of leaders who would think new and surprise the adversary. He asked the State Governments to recruit police with multi police skills and build composite and integrated teams.
Mr. Doval said the national data bank of crimes had not been effective in tackling terrorism. He said the information revealed during the interrogation of 16,000 Islamic terrorists between 1991 and 2005 will provide a wider database that helps in preventing incidents related to terrorism.