Discovery chronicles 11 terror strikes since last four decades

Mumbai, Aug 25: Discovery Channel will unravel the secrets and inner workings of terrorist attacks in different parts of the world in an eleven-part series 'Terror strikes' beginning from September one.

The series will bring to viewers the devastation and loss of life from terrorism capturing the immaculate planning, the hidden intentions and the close knit working of terorrist groups. The programme would be telecast every day from September 1 to 11 at 2100 hrs.

Viewers would plunge into the secrets worlds of terrorism, attempting to discover the truths behind the murders, sieges, suicide bombings and nerve agent attacks in 'Terror Strikes', Discovery Channel spokesperson Mr Rajiv Bakshi said at a press conference recently.

He said the programme captures some of the most shocking terrorist attacks from the last four decades. Asked why terrorist events in India were not chronicled, Mr Bakshi said the channel did not have documentations in this regard.

Institute of Conflict Management Founding Member and Executive Director Dr Ajai Sahni who was present at the press conference said, ''This is a crucial series that comes at an extraordinary time in global history, where complex and innovative networks of terrorism are increasingly taking centre-stage across vast areas of the world, but where understanding of this phenomenon lags far behind its evolution. Sensationalism, the absence of clarity and political opportunism have underminded effective counter terrorism responses and we are frightened and unprepared for the future.'' The series includes 'pychological investigation of the 7/7 bombers', 'Beslan seige', 'Moscow Siege', 'Black september and the Lockerbie bombing' and 'Munich: The real assassins', 'Bali bombings', 'One of America's own', 'Massacre in Madrid', 'Terror in Tokyo', 'Last hour of flight 11' and 'the Flight that fought back'.

Dr Sahni said India has suffered terrorist attacks of various magnitude since 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai. But, the capacity of response has failed to evolve over the years. He called for a permanent structure and strategy to counter terrorism in India. ''We have had many intelligence successes to break terror modules outside J&K and North East. But there is no documentation or institutional memories despite the vast experience.

We have no home work done on counter terrorism and the issue is yet to enter the security system,'' he added.

Dr Sahni called for an unbiased view to counter terrorism.

''Overwhelmingly, we always connect terrorism to radical Islamism because of the West. A separate assessment and analysis at the policy and political level is the need of the hour,'' he added.

Replying to questions, Dr Sahni described the IC-814 hijacking incident as the worst conceivable response from a State to an act of terrorism. ''The hijackers should have been neutralised in Amritsar itself as they were not significantly armed at that time,'' he added.

Referring to Munich and Beslan terror incidents, Dr Sahni said the counter response has not ended terrorism, but atleast it sends out a message that such elements should not cross limits.

He also said that the release of terrorists in return for Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's daughter had triggered a low intensity conflict in Jammu and Kashmir into a full blown terrorist movement. ''We are privileging violence through our policies,'' he noted.

UNI