Do it the Israeli way, keep terrorists on radar till their death

New Delhi, June 13: The one lesson that all intelligence agencies across the world must learn after the Orlando, Paris and Belgium attacks is that once a person has come under their radar, he should be pursued until his death.

All these attacks show the typical style in which the Intelligence functions in US and Europe.

In fact in all the three cases,the terrorists were on the radar of the intelligence at one point in time, but were let off.

Amar Bhushan, former officer with the Research and Analysis Wing and author of the acclaimed book, Escape to Nowhere says that the Israel pattern has to be followed.

In this interview with OneIndia, Bhushan says In Israel once a person is on the radar, he will be on it till he is dead.

Why do Intelligence agencies take people of the radar?

This is now typical of the Intelligence. This is how the intelligence works in the US and Europe. It happened in the Paris and Belgium attacks as well where the terrorists were once on the radar and then taken off it. These persons come on the radar, they are pursued and then the intelligence gives them up.

Don't you think this approach needs to change?

Yes it has to. I was once discussing this issue with an officer from Israel. He told me in their country, once a person comes on the radar he is pursued until he dies. He did not mean that they kill such persons, but what he meant was they are pursued and watched all the time.

Does that happen in India too?

Yes of course. Do you remember the Bhatkal case. A couple of persons were on the radar of the Bengaluru police. One of them (Riyaz Bhatkal) was called in for questioning and then let off. He turned out to be a monster.

The Orlando attack again seems to be a case of a youth being radicalised and then undertaking a lone wolf attack. Yes that is the case here too.

I am sure that the terrorist Mateen Omar was motivated for long. He then gets to read material on the web. This is a process. After watching material on the net, he is taken to the fringe and later he turned into a monster.

Omar according to me a indoctrinated person from the word go. It is clear that he had a hatred for America.

The debate regarding the US gun laws have opened up once again. Your thoughts on it.

Yes now that is another major concern. In the Orlando case it is even more shocking. Omar who has been questioned twice for terror links by the FBI was able to obtain a Gun with a licence. The gun laws are too liberal in the US and this must change.

The US has not yet called it an act of Islamic terror. Why is that the case?

It is under investigation. They are some very moderated statements that have come out. Trust me internally many are going to face the flak. The US also needs to realise that it cannot be selective in tackling terrorism.

If you recall after the 26/11 attack, they took a high moral ground. They had all the feelers and intelligence available, but shared it selectively. They need to pursue terrorists across the world and not just those who affect them.

In India's dealing of the ISIS, there have been cases of youth being counselled. Do you agree with this?

Not at all. Counselling them never works. Even if you counsel them, never take them off the radar. You may have a few votes during the elections if such an approach is taken, but in the long run it is too dangerous.

India must stop taking a myopic approach to this problem. In Jammu and Kashmir we have had bad experiences when we have tried counselling terrorists. They have come back harder.

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