Choppy waters
In a world where chaos seems to be finding new fronts, the recent surge in maritime tensions paints a disturbing picture of a once serene expanse turned battleground.
A high alert has been issued all along the country’s 7,517-kilometre long coastline following intelligence inputs of an attack on Indian coastal establishments by Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
Reports say that the terrorist group, which is headed by Hafiz Saeed, is planning to carry out a sea-borne attack on ports, oil tankers and cargo ships. Since June this year, the LeT has been building on its sea strike capability and wants its members to carry out, what it calls, ‘Samudri Jihad’.
LeT had first carried out a sea-borne attack when 10 of its terrorists arrived by boat to Mumbai on 26 November 2008. Approximately 157 people, excluding the terrorists, lost their lives in the attack. Another 304 were left injured.
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Maulana Masood Azhar’s Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), too, is believed to be planning a terror attack on India.
Quoting anonymous officials, Hindustan Times reports that members of the group, which is based in Pakistan’s Bahawalpur, are undergoing rigorous training programme that includes swimming and deep diving techniques.
It is interesting to note that the 10 terrorists who attacked Mumbai in 2008 were trained by Pakistani Navy officials in deep diving techniques.
Indian officials believe that the LeT cadres could hijack ships or tankers and use them to attack Indian ports infiltrate into the country via the sea.
The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) have been put on high alert.
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