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Navy chief says input too vague but alert gave coordinates of Lashkar ship

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Pranab Dhal Samanta Posted: Dec 03, 2008 at 0115 hrs IST
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New Delhi: While Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta today claimed the Navy had not received any actionable intelligence ahead of the Mumbai attack, it now turns out that the intelligence input received on November 19 even provided the exact coordinates of the “LeT (Lashkar-e-Toiba) vessel” four days before it entered Indian waters.

The location given in the intercept, 24.16. 36 N and 67.02.04 E, shows the vessel was about 60 km off Karachi on that day hovering very close to international waters, possibly observing Indian fishing trawlers. The input states that a LeT vessel at the given coordinates was “attempting to infiltrate through sea”. It also mentions the possibility of an Indian trawler being also used for this purpose.

The Research & Analysis Wing’s input had was passed on to National Security Council Secretariat and Joint Intelligence Council. Subsequently, this was shared with the Navy and the Coast Guard. Also, it was sent to Maharashtra government.

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As is now known, the terrorists first boarded a Pakistani ship Al-Hussaini and sometime around November 22-23 hijacked Indian fishing trawler Kuber. This incident could have happened in Pakistani or international waters. The terrorists used Kuber to enter Indian territorial waters and for at least 72 hours were in these waters before reaching Mumbai. The specific coordinates of the vessel, sources said, ought to have been enough for the Coast Guard and Navy to take the input more seriously and prepare for contingency action besides stepping up vigil.

However, the terrorists were able toa escape all checks by using one of the crew members as cover and pretending to be Indian fishermen.

While there have been a few such alerts this year, top officials point to the lack of analysis and coordination depending on the veracity of the input.

So, today the agencies believe that they had provided as much an accurate input they could while the Navy believes it was not enough for it to take urgent action.

Besides this, India established that the terrorists left from the Azizabad area of Karachi and this intelligence was picked up from a telephonic intercept from Pakistan to Mumbai informing the location of the expected arrival of the group.

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View all Messages [ 3 ]
Air strike possible by terrorists by danendra jain on 2008-12-04 19:10:04.735686+05:30
The Union Government has received intelligence inputs about a possible 9/11 type terror strike from the air. But I am unable to understand why the same message has been circulated through media including Internet, TV and print? What purpose is going to be served by such leakage and such publicity of highly secret intelligence inputs? Are terrorists so much fool that they will strike their terror attack through the same route and at the same place where security arrangement has been tightened? It is rather bitter truth that such publicity of IB inputs cautions terrorists and change their strike point and prompt them to send further misleading emails and spread baseless rumours to confuse the system of safety and security. Terrorists are shrewd enough to befool the government machinery and they know better how to execute their heinous plan.I am therefore of strong conviction that igovernment should not handi over details of intelligence inputs to media ,
incompetent by Indian on 2008-12-03 20:06:41.198598+05:30
WHAT IS NAVY'S JOB? DOEW IT NEED ALERT FROM SOME OTHER COUNTRY? DON'T WE HAVE INTELLIGENCE AGENCY? I SEE THAT THEY ARE INCOMPETENT.
Accept Failure by Vishnu on 2008-12-03 19:45:06.30683+05:30
I find it hard to believe that if they had definite information, the Navy would not have acted on it. No one wants to take responisbility. All of them are trying to pass the buck. RAW has failed, accept that failure and then try to mend your ways. Passing the buck will not bring the dead back to life.
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