'Tough to keep tab on terrorists' cyber communication'

Karnataka Director-General of Police N Achutha Rao is understood to have told a recent meet of top cops in New Delhi that it was difficult for the state police to monitor use of internet and other cyber communications. Rao is believed to have made the remark, participating in a discussion on current trends in terrorism and counterterrorism measures in the recent Annual Conference of the Director Generals and Inspector Generals of Police in the national capital.

His remark came at a time when the security agencies in the country were increasingly focusing on enhancing capabilities for keeping tab on cyber communications and gathering intelligence inputs to preempt terrorist and subversive attacks. Sources told Deccan Herald that the top cops attending the meet had lengthy discussions on sophisticated communication technology used by the top cops.

Making a presentation on “Dynamics of Terrorism”, an Additional Director of the Intelligence Bureau pointed out that the terrorists had in the recent past been using proxy servers and WiFi connections for accessing internet for their VoIP enabled cell-phones, underlining the fact that they were becoming increasingly tech-savvy and taking precautions to avoid detection and interception by the intelligence agencies.

The Commissioner of Delhi Police B K Gupta however pointed out that the technical inputs were no longer producing the required results. He stressed on the need for generating human intelligence as well as penetration into newer areas by the intelligence agencies.
He was echoed by his counterpart from Maharashtra, Ajit Parasnis, who said electronic intelligence was no longer providing desired results both for preempting terrorist attacks as well as for investigations.

The DGP of Karnataka also pointed out that all the incidents of terrorist attacks had been linked to explosives, which had not been effectively and adequately monitored by the government. Though the terrorists have since long been using Ammonium Nitrate for triggering several explosions across the country, the government restricted the open sale, purchase and manufacture of the dangerous grades of the chemical under the Explosives Act, 1884.