From US to India with 'Terror'

By: Subhadeep Bhattacharjee

David Coleman Headley might have been the first major US national to be caught exporting terror to India but he certainly wasn't the last. A US national was detained on terror charges at the Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi by the joint team of Delhi Police and Intelligence Bureau. The suspect identified as Winston Marshall was arrested when he was about to board the New York bound, Qatar Airways from Doha, based on a tip-off from the Intelligence Bureau.

David Coleman Headley being the mastermind of the 26/11 attacks in India had come as a shocker for the Indian security agencies after his arrest in the United States. Headley who has his roots in Pakistan was a regular visitor to India and had carried out recce for the attacks in Mumbai. Not only that he had associations with many socialites in India who seemed to have been completely unaware of motives behind visiting India.

There was a myth that the American security system could be bypasses by anybody in the world. That myth was shattered when the World Trade Centre came down and Pentagon was attacked on September 11, 2001. There was another myth that US security screening is full-proof and with David Coleman Headley and Winston Marshall now, this myth will also get shattered. This serves as a wake up call for the Indian security forces.

India has to learn that America has become the new path for terrorists to enter India due to out third-world mentality which hasn't been erased although as a country we have had decent achievements America has itself been a victim of terrorism, it's another fact that many would say it propagated terror and made the world a much dangerous place buy going hammer and tongs on Afghanistan in the name of wiping out the Taliban.

The greatest lesson that Indian security agencies have to learn from the Headley and Marshall case it that terrorism need not necessarily enter Indian through it's borders with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. It can come and strike even from the most developed of the nations. It is high time we get over myths and assumptions and be serious with our security apparatus. As they says it is better to 'prepare and prevent', than 'repair and repent.'