Terrorism in India: Law Enforcement Agencies Lack Directives to Aid Foreign Nations
Gangs of heavily armed gunmen stormed several Indian hotels, a popular tourist attraction and a crowded train station in at least seven attacks in India’s financial capital. The suspects killed at least 78 people and wounded another 200, according to US embassy officiala.
The gunmen were specifically targeting Britons and Americans and may be holding hostages, according to Fox News’ Heather Nauert.
Three US national strategies, developed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, directed US law enforcement agencies to focus on the prevention of such terrorist attacks. The strategies called for agencies to intensify their efforts to help foreign nations identify, disrupt, and prosecute terrorists.
Following the 9/11 attacks, the President issued a series of strategies that provided broad direction for overseas law enforcement efforts to assist foreign nations to identify, disrupt, and prosecute terrorists.
However, these strategies did not articulate which LEAs should implement the guidance to enhance efforts to help foreign nations combat terrorism or how they should do so. While one of the strategies tasked State Department staff with developing and coordinating US efforts to combat terrorism abroad, the feds found State did not develop or coordinate the development of a plan to use the combined capabilities of US LEAs to help foreign nations identify, disrupt, or prosecute terrorists.
In December 2004, Congress passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which charged the National Counterterrorism Center with developing a plan to use all elements of national power, including LEAs, to combat terrorism.
NCTC officials told analysts that they had drafted a general plan, which was approved by the President in June of 2006. According to NCTC, State Department, Justice Department, and Department of Homeland Security officials, implementing guidance for the plan is under development, and they would not discuss the contents of the plan or the guidance.
Some LEAs have increased efforts to help foreign nations identify, disrupt, and prosecute terrorists. For example, DHS has implemented its Container Security Initiative to screen US-bound cargo at foreign ports, and the Department of State has expanded its Antiterrorism Assistance (ATA) program.
However, analysts found that because most LEAs, with the exception of the FBI, have not been given clear guidance, they lacked clearly defined roles and responsibilities on helping foreign nations identify, disrupt, and prosecute terrorists.
In one country terrorism analysts visited, the lack of clear roles and responsibilities between two US LEAs may have compromised several joint operations intended to identify and disrupt potential terrorist activities, according to the US and foreign nation LEAs.
In addition, the Government Accountability Office found LEAs generally lacked guidance on using resources to assist foreign nations in addressing terrorist vulnerabilities and generally lacked performance monitoring systems and formal structures for sharing information and collaborating. They also found that, because comprehensive needs assessments were not conducted, LEAs may not be tailoring their full range of training and assistance to address key terrorism vulnerabilities in foreign countries.
Sources: American Federation of Police, National Association of Chiefs of Police, US Government Accountability Office, US Department of State, US Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he’s a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he’s the new editor for the House Conservatives Fund’s weblog. Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.
He’s former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed “Crack City” by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He’s also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He’s a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com and PHXnews.com. He’s also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he’s syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He’s appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com. Kouri’s own website is located at http://jimkouri.us
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). In addition, he's the former editor for the House Conservatives Fund's weblog. Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty. He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com and PHXnews.com. He's also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. To subscribe to Kouri's newsletter write to COPmagazine@aol.com and write "Subscription" on the subject line. | More from Jim Kouri, CPP
Stumble It!
November 26th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
The Indian Authorities, according to the News reporter I have just been listening to, have mobilised their ‘Very Elite (Phew, a cut above the ordinary Elite) Anti-Terrorist Commando’ and Makan Stall on-the-Bombay-Road Battalion to deal with the aggressors.
Just as soon as the funding comes through and the people pay for their curries.
November 28th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
Not intending to put apersions upon an heroic military man, but…. the head of the ‘Very Elite’ Commando force, leading his troops into the situation was shot three times in the chest by terrorists and died. His body armour was supplied by Makharumbah’s All-Goods Variety store and Deli on the Bombay Road. (The first bit is true and the second sarcasm – for those who think I am being outrageousy disrespectful).
I am staggered by the stupidity of the media. In such situations we constantly get TV reporters (very often women) who demand information, on air, browbeating military officers and troops to tell us all what they are doing and what they intend to do, and show footage of brave, but rather slovenly men with their rifles slung nonchalently over their shoulders moving into position. Never women, of course. Many seem to be just mooching around like sheep. The enemy sees all this on their iPods. They hear the strategic discussions. The media treats it all like a video game.
We have anti-terrorist ‘Elites’ around the world who are spectacularly inept. I swear their training is virtual and provided by Bruce Willis International Swell-Guy Enterprises. They are equiped with the most apallingly useless gear – but it is black so that is supposed to be OK. Not that being black is much friggin’ use if the TV cameras are watching every friggin’ move under arc lights and some bimbo in a sari (or western woman reporter in designer fatigues) is playing the sports commentator.
This attack was well planned. The only thing missing was an ‘embedded’ reporter or three.