Narayanan learns American way of tackling terrorism

NEW DELHI: In the midst of attack on the government for its failure to put in place a credible internal security architecture, National Security Advisor MK Narayanan visited the US homeland security department for a firsthand understanding of US security establishment.

Reports from Washington said Charles Allen, under secretary in the office of intelligence and analysis, took the NSA and his team through a drill on how America tackles terror. There has been no terror outrage in the US since the 9/11 attack on the twin towers in New York.

India and the US have already constituted a joint working group on counter-terrorism and they are of the view that the international community should come together to combat terrorism in a ���long-term��� and ���comprehensive��� manner.

The issues that are being addressed by the Working Group include regional counter-terrorism efforts, threat assessments in South Asia, Middle East and South East Asia, bioterrorism, anti-terrorism assistance training programme and cooperation in the field of forensic epidemiology.

Other issues such as terrorist finance and money laundering, ideological dimensions of terrorism, information sharing and widened cooperation for preventing terrorist acts are also on the agenda of the working group.

But Mr Naryananan may find it difficult to implement the ideas that he gathered from the homeland department as the UPA government is bogged down in quibbling over the partisan flashpoints in the fight against terror. The politicians in the ruling side, who believe that any firm measure against terror will stir up a Islamist hornet's nest, are resisting a tough response to the problem.

As a matter of fact, Mr Narayanan���s suggestion to green light the Gujarat government���s anti-terror law was vetoed by the home ministry. But Narayanan���s visit to the homeland security office clearly indicate an anxiety to shrug off the charge that the government has taken its eyes off national security issues.

That the government fears a major credibility deficit over national security matters was evident when prime minister once again asserted his ���resolve��� to put in place better intelligence gathering process and prosecution system. The second promise is easier said than done because it would require amendments in the existing laws.

Although security agencies have been demanding changes in the evidence act, a significant section of the ruling side is against proposals such as tough bail conditions and making confessions before a magistrate admissible evidence.

The Congress, which had campaigned for the repeal of Pota, shares the perception of the allies that special laws evoke negative emotions from a section of the society.

Meanwhile, agency reports quoting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he was deeply anguished by the Mehrauli blast. ���My heart goes in sympathy to those who lost their near and dear ones. It is not possible for me from this distance to comment on who is responsible for the outrage,��� he said. ���We won���t give up the war on terror and we will fight with all resoluteness to deal with the menace,��� he added.