A nation which has neglected its security in a time of terror is now left to mourn. Te expected Pavlovian response on the Mumbai serial blasts from the official establishment and unofficial opinion makers has come: the blame has been laid squarely on Pakistan and intelligence failure respectively. Undoubtedly the role of Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agency in such incidents of terror in the country is well-established. However we must accept that the ISI is merely the brain — the body of terror lies within this country. The hypothesis of intelligence failure also needs scrutiny. The first signs of impending doom could be traced back to Ayodhya almost a year ago, on July 5, 2005. Then came Delhi, October 29, 2005; Bangalore, December 28, 2005; Varanasi, March 7 and now Mumbai. These incidents jointly signal difficult days ahead.

The Mumbai and Maharashtra police have had adequate notice of an impending calamity. Only the timing, intensity and location were not known. The arms seizure in the Aurangabad-Nasik-Jalegaon region of the state in May should have come as a forewarning. The seizures established a number of disturbing facts. First, it indicated that a large number of terror cells were operating in the state. Second, it established that the miscreants had sound logistical and financial backing. The higher educational and technical profile of the apprehended should have warned the police that they were against a motivated, well-heeled, armed and trained terrorist organisation with deep roots in the state. The least that could have been done was to pursue the escapees and accomplices whose identities were most certainly known to the police after interrogation. A follow-up would have put the heat on the prime suspects of the 7/11 blasts — Fayaz Qazi and Zaibuddin Ansari — both allegedly key constituents of the Aurangabad cell, who would have been forced to cool off outside the state in the wake of the recent strikes. Policing demands that every lead to a suspected culprit is followed up until the threat is either ruled out or eliminated. This had been the hallmark of the Mumbai Police in its heyday, under the dynamic leadership of Julio Ribiero.

... contd.