Old Stories - Can we prevent 9/11 type attack?

Just came across old stories...

Nov 13, 2006

There is no way that India can thwart 9/11 strike on the Rashtrapati Bhawan, PMO, US Embassy or any other vital Central Delhi installation. This was exposed by the failure of the security paraphernalia to thwart the Kuwait Airways flight deviation over the PM’s residence.
The Indian Air Force and the Indian army do not have the mandate to prevent any aircraft from straying over the most secured zone of the country despite a half a dozen air bases surrounding Delhi and a sophisticated rocket regiment located in the heart of the city.
"Though the IAF and the Army are fully equipped to bring down any aircraft in the world, in case of internal security, they have to depend on political clearance. Who will give the orders to bring down a civilian plane? Who is going to bell the cat," questions a senior security official.
According to sources, the Prime Minister’s house and the Rashtrapathi Bhawan are "too close" to the airport for the IAF and the Army to chase or shoot down any 9/11 type of intrusion. Besides the command and control structure to shoot any intruding plane is too cumbersome for it to be implemented in time and prevent any incident.
In addition, the security system in place over the VVIP locations does not have the capability nor the structure to stop 9/11, according to highly placed sources.
"An 11-th hour intrusion over the PM’s residence is too close for comfort. It is damn too close to the flight path of airplanes that take off or land at Delhi airport," says an IAF officer.
The aerial distance between take off and landing paths and PM house or the Rashtrapati Bhawan is 7-10 km. "This 7-10 km distance is nothing in time for an aircraft. It can take one to two minute for any aircraft to do a 9/11 on VVIPs installations," said a source. "Who can stop any aircraft in such short a time?" a security official in MHA questioned.
The IAF has two options, either to physically intercept an intruding aircraft or shoot it down. Physical interference is not possible as the IAF bases are located at a distance of 30-200 km which could take 10-20 minute for any fighter, according to an IAF source.
The second option is to shoot down the intruding plane. "But even the shooting option is not feasible. We are a soft state. We do not have the mandate to take military actions against civilian airplanes," said a source.
Assistant Chief Air Staff (Operations) Air Marshal K Mathews has the authority to press an anti-aircraft missile button. But his hands are tied as he has to take orders from the PM, who is to take a decision after a Group of ministers meeting. "But even in extreme emergency, Mathews or anyone cannot press any anti-aircraft missile button," remarked a source.
The Indian army too cannot fire its anti-aircraft guns, located at a secret location in the heart of the city. The Director General Military Operations is the authority to give fire orders. "But that cannot happen as army is not in the loop in shooting down intruding aircrafts," according to a source. "Air space security is the responsibility of the IAF in peace time. The army has no role to play in this," Army spokesperson Col S K Sakuja said.


Nov 11, 2006

Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar was admitted in a private hospital on Friday
afternoon.
He was on his way to the Delhi airport for Pune when he developed chest pain and
was admitted in Escort Hospital, according to a senior police officer.
According to sources, he was administered angiography test late on Friday at the
time of going to the press.
However, another source added the situation of the Maratha strongman was under
constant observation and condition was serious but the hospital authorities
denied any such ‘rumour’.
Supriya Sule, Pawar’s daughter discounted any rumour and said her was well and
god will be discharged on Saturday afternoon.
The NCP chief Sharad Pawar was taken to Escorts Hospital after he complained of
exhaustion, was sweating a lot with a chest pain.
However, the hospital authorities were keeping the condition of the VIP patient
strictly confidential.
"He came in for a regular check up after he experienced uneasiness and we have
advised him two days rest," Dr Naresh Trehan, Managing Director of Escorts
Heart Institute and Research Centre.
NCP leader and Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said "Pawar is
undergoing a series of tests and is likely to be discharged tomorrow
afternoon."

Nov 18, 2006

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday were left red-faced with embarrassment when
they failed to explain role in the release of the kidnapped Noida kid Anant
Gupta.
UP police officials initially claimed that no ransom was paid. However,
highly-placed sources admitted that a huge ransom was paid and nearly Rs 50 lakh
was reportedly recovered from Bulendhshar district on a tip off from an
informer when Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh went to meet Anant’s father.
According to sources, two powerful politicians were behind the
kidnapping and one of them conveyed an assurance to the kidnappers that “things
would be all right.”
There were gaping holes in the police story as the media tried to piece together
the jigsaw puzzle of Anant’s rescue. IG police N B Singh said the boy was
rescued after it created pressure and a police team brought him in an
autorickshaw (UP 16 J 9838) from Bulandshahr. However, his junior, Noida SSP R
S Rathore said the boy was not brought in an auto. He claimed that the Noida
police officials with the help UP Special Task Force conducted an operation to
get the boy freed.
But the UP police failed to explain when and how they got the boy released. STF
official S S Bhagat couldn’t explain where the operation was conducted
somewhere in the jungle of Bulandhshar-Noida.
The auto driver who brought Anant back home said someone approached him at the
Apollo Hospital and said the boy should be delivered to his Sector 15 residence.
The address was given to the driver.
According to SSP Rathore, UP police got a tip off that a huge amount of cash was
found in a village near Noida.
According to a senior police officer admitted that the UP police botched it up
and couldn’t connect the sequence of events. “The police speak lies many
times. But it is never that we get caught so badly. How could these officers do
it so stupidly?”
Another official admitted that the UP police would be under tremendous pressure
to mend its act. “So save there jobs they may resort to a crack operation
killing someone in an encounter,” an official admitted.


The police theory
Four people, Chatar Pal, Pawan and Vijay are missing while the fourth Jitender
alias Babloo kidnapped Anant on November 13.
The kidnappers called up guard Kamleshwar nine time.
Few bags are loaded in a car on Thursday, and left NOida sector 15 through a
back gate.
The police meanwhile instructed a guard at Noida 15 to let any unnumbered plate
enter the colony.

The unanswered questions
From where the UP Police recovered the boy and where they conducted the
operation?
Why did Anant come in an auto to his house?
The police questioning the auto driver who is in police custody?
The police say the kidnappers took them to Mathura and Bulandshar. On one phone
Anant told his parents “He was in Mumbai!”

Revelation
One Ashok revealed to a private TV channel that he did the job for Rs 11 lakh
and the ransom amount was Rs 5 crore. He however, claimed his gangster friend
had failed to pay the amount. He said the gangsters who ordered the kidnapping
were Ramesh Walia, Jalan Sirohi and Sunder Bhatti.