06 July,2009 09:25 AM IST | | Anshuman G Dutta
Security agencies Are providing specific inputs on terror threats, says state police departments
After a year of continuous terror attacks, the country's intelligence agencies seem to have finally smartened up their acts. Or that's what the state police and other security agencies claim.
"The recent inputs we are receiving from Intelligence Bureau (IB), Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and other such agencies have become more specific. The intelligence dossiers have also become regular," said a senior police officer from Gujarat.
The officer was referring to an instance when his team was updated by Central intelligence agencies about the plans made by Pakistan-based terror groups to attack vital economic installations along the Kutch coast in the state. "Both RAW and IB had forwarded their inputs and which were very specific in nature," said the officer.
The inputs had even mentioned that terrorists were planning to set up a base in a town in Gujarat and had been asked to procure mechanised fishing boats for their operations.
Other state police departments too confirmed the officer's claims.
"We cannot divulge details but our coordination with IB and other Central agencies has improved over the last one year. The inputs we get are task oriented," said a senior police officer from Rajasthan.
Meanwhile, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said intelligence dossiers are now being prepared as per the requirement of the local security agency. "For Gujarat and Maharashtra which have long coastlines as well as land borders, there are several end users like Navy, Coast Guards, Border Security Force, state police and the customs department.
Their intelligence requirement can not be the same," said a senior MHA official, wishing anonymity. But he denied any significant change in the process of intelligence gathering and forwarding. "Intelligence sharing is a regular process and it does not change overnight. Only the nature of inputs has become more specific. We are trying to address the needs of every agency for better results," he said.
After the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, both the Navy and the Coast Guards had alleged the intelligence agencies were providing them with 'non- actionable' inputs. The intelligence failure and the inability of the Central agencies to provide pointed information were considered as the reasons behind last year's serial terror attacks in the country.
The security agencies were asked to mend their style of working.
