The Real Terrorists

This is a rehash of my previous blog but worth it as posts done long-long ago tend to disappear from the public sight.

Even as the NSG flushes out the terrorists and the Mumbai police try to restore normalcy, investigating agencies from all over the world are rushing to India to study the learn lessons and of course help in finding out who did it. This happens every time there is a large scale terror attack. In variably the trail leads to a group, be it Al-Qaeda, or Laskar-e-Toiba or any of the numerous organisations. Most of the time the groups own it up themselves. And then there is a round of condemnation, speeches to wipe out terrorism, promises to follow up the perpetrator, ... till the next attack.

Seeking and attacking the terrorist organisation will not finish them off. One cannot wipe away the organisation. Nor can you recognise a terrorist when he walks past you. He doesn't have red eyes and is not always loaded with ammunition.

The focus is all wrong. And I am sure the FBI, the RAW, the MI, the who's-who-of-the-investigation-world know this. This is what is required.

a) Determine who finances these terrorist groups. Such huge amount of money cannot be floating around. It has to be channelised through banks at some point of time.

b) Determine who sells them these sophisticated arms and ammunition. These are not home made rifles and guns. Must be some arms manufacturing factory. Or it could be army ammunition siphoned out.

c) Is it a country / countries or a group of wealthy people?
d) Freeze the accounts. Close down such factories. Cut off the supply chain.

It is not as difficult as it seems. Certainly more effective than sending armed forces to bombard Taliban in Afghanistan or seeking out WMD. Needs a coordinated effort from all the countries. The world has more or less managed to control the proliferation of nuclear weapons. There is no reason why terrorism cannot be brought down too. Guns and grenades may be easier to make compared to nuclear weapons, but the supply chain is similar. Control the supply chain and the end product will be in control.

It is also high time that all - ALL - countries agree on the definition of Terrorism. I don't care if they are freedom fighters or not. If acts of terror is pursued to meet their goal (such as planting bombs in railway station, taking hostages, blowing up cars in public places ... this can be easily defined) no support can be given by any country. The rest of the world should boycott that country supporting such terror activities. Hint: Next time there is a discussion in the UN and you find any country trying to support armed freedom fight is a terrorist supporting country.

It may not be possible to wipe away the terrorists by killing them but we sure can throttle them to death.