The aftermath

Glaring intelligence lapses have come to the fore with reports indicating that the Maharashtra government was warned well in advance of an impending terror attack on Mumbai with the likelihood of terrorists arriving by sea. A fisherman from Navsari had alerted the Intelligence Bureau (IB) of suspicious activity and infringement of outsiders in the sea, four months ago.
The Asian Age has learnt from top ranking sources in the Gujarat police that the information provided by the fisherman, whose name has been withheld for security reasons, not only contained details of suspicious activities being carried out by unidentified people on the Gujarat coastline but also had the names of a few locals who were conniving with them.
“I had told the concerned IB officers that there is major movement happening in the sea,” said Shiva Bhagat (name changed) and added, “For the last 25 years, we have been going to sea almost every other day. We had been noticing a few new boats recently,” said Mr Bhagat who is a chief fisherman in Navsari.
“Everyday, as a rule we count all the boats that go out to sea and count them again when they return. I had been informed by my men that while parking their boats at the coast, the numbers of boats would increase. I was further told that they belonged to locals but I was suspicious so faxed the names of some of the locals,” added Mr Bhagat.
Meanwhile, the Central intelligence agencies had issued four specific advisories since January 2008 to the state government that a terrorist outfit was preparing to target Mumbai through the sea route. IB maintained that despite repeated advisories, the state police, especially the Mumbai police, did not carry out any adequate follow-up action. The state government did not take the input seriously as there was no follow-up, the sources added. When the specific input was shared with the state government, it should have acted upon it.
Following the interrogation of the arrested terrorist, it has been revealed that they had carried out a reconnaissance of Mumbai a few months ago. It was a well-planned operation, said an official.
"They had come along with at least 10 operatives, posing as students, and lived in a rented accommodation near Colaba. Investigations have revealed that the terrorists were given the impression that they would come back alive after carrying out their mission in Mumbai. They had enough explosives to blow up the hotel," sources said.
The interrogation has also revealed that the terrorists were trained in marine warfare and specialised commando raids. It is learnt that the arrested terrorist also revealed the names of other terrorists to the investigating agencies. The intelligence agencies had sent a warning note to the Coast Guard to stay on the lookout for an unidentified Pakistani trawler sailing from Karachi which, they feared, may enter Indian waters. While the Coast Guard was looking for a Pakistani or unidentified vessel, the terrorists hijacked an Indian fishing trawler, killed its crew and entered Mumbai seas. This trawler, Kuber belongs to a fisherman from Porbander, Vinod Masani, who has been detained by the Porbander police for interrogation. The Indian Coast Guard spotted the boat carrying the body of captain Amarsingh Naran. “One team of our officers has been dispatched to Gujarat for investigations and all angles and possibilities are being probed,” said Rakesh Maria, joint commissioner of police, crime.
As far as the involvement of Dawood's D-Company is concerned, an official said, "We are examining all aspects. It's too early to draw a conclusion. How the operation was funded, where the money came from, how the terrorists were provided arms and ammunition etc. We are examining all aspects."