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Journalism of Courage
Technology is power. This was proved without any ambiguity during the terror attacks in Mumbai. For almost 60 hours 10 terrorists stood off the might of the Indian state. Much has been said about their likely training; however, it needs to be understood that their attempt to create mayhem in Mumbai is a combination of covert state support, training, coordination, successful ‘inoculation’ of terror philosophy in the minds of these people, usage of asymmetric tactics and, most importantly, the proper handling of technology.
First, their sea journey — a complex endeavour in itself — was accurately navigated using state-of-the-art GPS (geographical positioning system) gadgets. They stayed in touch using satellite phones. They also used the GPS maps to chart entry and escape routes: a GPS map of South Mumbai was found in their possession.
Given how crucial it was to reach their targets in time, and without getting noticed, GPS proved very handy. Ironically, GPS was initially devised by the United States mainly for military requirements: a constellation of 24 or 28 satellites, which with the assistance of an earth-borne receiver unit, help to pinpoint one’s ground location accurately.
Today, these systems can easily be bought at any marine store for as little as $100. Modern units are available with a relative plotter. Such systems provide positional information, waypoint direction and also offer a map guidance page which provides positional information relative to known waypoints and plot them on the handset screen. Currently small boat users use systems which also have chart plotters which help in plotting one’s position and course superimposed over an electronic nautical chart. In all likelihood such a system could have been used to reach the Indian shores by these terrorists.
Satellite phones seem to have been used as well. While on the high seas, they will have been essential for communication and co-ordination; even afterwards, they may well have been in touch with their handlers over the instruments. Such phones are available for between $200 to $1000 a piece. They connect to orbiting satellites and are mainly used in remote areas where cellphone services are not available. It would be of interest, and of future use, to investigate which communication services they used during their occupation of the hotels; satellite phones have poor reception indoors. It is likely that they used the hotel intercom network for as long as it was operational before or during the attacks. The manner in which they engaged the commandos across various floors in the hotels, indicates that they were in all likelihood in touch with each other during the operations.
For Indian agencies the only positive aspect regarding the usage of such equipment by the terrorists is that their usage leaves electronic footprints. It would be possible to track the places with which the terrorists established contacts based on the satellite phone’s records. A crucial aspect of counter-terrorism is intelligence and thus technological support of that should be looked at carefully.
This brutal act of terror proved that it is possible to use modern off-the-shelf technology to one’s advantage; and that, at times, intelligent investment in technology also helps to hoodwink the authorities.
One major flaw in India’s anti-terror mechanism is the lack of intelligent investments in counter-terror technology. Even today, the talk is mainly about a numerical increase in the NSG’s strength. I sometimes feel that as a nation we value human life so little that we do not mind having more martyrs. Globally an effort is on to replace, at least partially, the first wave of commandos by robots. The US forces have already started deploying them in Iraq. Such systems, beefed up with heat-seeking sensors, cameras and real time communication as a first line allows you to diminish an enemy’s firepower and collect on-site intelligence. This is not to argue that robots could replace soldiers; but they could at least complement them, particularly in scenarios where the enemy has asymmetric advantage or fighting an urban conflict where collateral damage is unacceptable, such as we saw in Mumbai.
The fight against terrorism is not a simple battle of wits; it is about taking proactive measures and thinking ahead of the terrorists. This needs a multidisciplinary approach. Modern terrorists use technology to their advantage; to defeat them in their own game, we need intelligent investments in technologies.
The writer researches non-traditional threats to national security at the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses, Delhi
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