26/11 Memories and Analysis - Final part
My regular taxi driver told me later how his fellow taxi driver had given a taxi ride to the terrorists and they had got down after planting a bomb under his seat which he was not aware of. He had picked up a passenger who apparently got down a few meters before his destination and as the passenger walked away, the taxi exploded killing the driver but the passenger was lucky to live.
Another friend was staying at the hotel at the time of the attack in the same wing which was burnt down. Sitting down for dinner with his business associate in the restaurant that was attacked his friend suddenly demanded that when in Mumbai, eat Mumbai style and not in a fancy star hotel. He insisted and dragged my friend to some nearby location. Within minutes he got a call from his family asking about the attack and his bewildered answer was that he had just stepped out. Rushing back, they saw the events unfolding and leaving behind his stuff in the room (which likely got burnt too) he rushed back to Bangalore on as is where is basis that night itself.
So many have shared stories of what they experienced but unlike many other events, this is one that will and should remain etched in the collective memory of Indians – Never Forget, Never Forgive. This was nothing short of a war on India without the definitions of war being fulfilled.
The attack gave us an opportunity to research various security products, meet many smaller companies globally, evaluate their products and the personal education was immense and exciting. One particular experience, to a colleague, was something that I am sure he would regale his grandchildren with. A small company said they had a product like a sunscreen film which when applied on car windows or any glass window would provide protection attacks against mobs, smaller handguns as commonly used in USA at least to save lives. They claimed that buildings could have protection against even a car bomb that could go off outside. We saw videos but then anybody can make videos. Obviously such a “trial” was out of the question. But we were keen to explore the possibilities of this product in India.
A colleague totally unconnected with our business and industry was visiting the particular country and I requested him to go meet this company and see if they really existed. The company told me they would arrange a product trial where they would “shoot” my colleague. I didn’t tell him this. He visited their office and the CEO of the company old him that a “product” demo had been arranged wherein they would shoot him as he stood behind a glass fitted with their protective film. While I am not sure what went on in his mind at that time, he agreed after the CEO said, he would join him. The two chaps stood together behind a life size glass frame, the CEO holding my colleague tightly so he didn’t run away and another chap shot them with a automatic handgun. He survived and even though tempted to kill me on his return retained the video for his grandchildren. He called it the most exciting moment of his life.
Another company told us how they had built a database of various terror attacks and such incidents globally. Their team of security experts listened to every news and the moment there was any incident rushed to the location and compiled exhaustive reports on every scrap of information they could obtain including from the security forces themselves. The benefit was anybody facing a real time threat or incident with access to their data base could analyse all such past incidents globally over the last few decades and use that to help them plan their response to a developing situation on the ground. They claimed that it made a huge difference to their clients in planning counter terror operations or terror incidents.
Conspiracy theories, rumours were flying all around. Some said there had been a demand for swap of prisoners which the Govt of India was ready for but at the last moment refused remembering the hijack incident of the past and the political fallout. Others said that Israel had rushed commandoes to Mumbai and were ready to join the operations, assist, even neutralise the terrorists if the swap was agreed to. Another said that a VVIP team of American bizmen were trapped in the hotel and then rescued. The list is endless.
In the meantime in a bizarre twist of fate, the Govt of India and the political party in power decided to pull out all stops to protect Pakistan – albeit not officially – and even released books and trying to blame RSS, Hindu organisations etc. But for the fact that Ajmal Kasab was caught and the then Govt of India did not even have a fig leaf of protection it is entirely conceivable that this attack like many others would have been blamed on internal elements and Pakistan protected fully.
The testimony of folks like David Headley, his romance with the glitterati of Mumbai in the months prior to the 26/11 attack and much more are facts that have been white washed selectively. This led to some bizarre whitewashing actions much later by those who had been accused of involvement with Headly.
The tragic and insensitive episode involving the then Chief Minister of Kerala when he visited the home of Major Unnikrishnan who had laid down his life in the attack was symptomatic of everything that was wrong with the Indian polity of the day.
The following opinion pieces need to be read, and as I often say, the opinions expressed by the authors can be ignored, but there is a trove of other factual information within, that point to the (lack of) actions by the then Govt. of India and also the kind of diversionary tactics employed. THIS was the cruelest cut that any Govt could hoist on its own people. No country, that has been the target of a terrorist attack will try to sacrifice themselves to protect the “enemy” who attacked them, but this was India’s definition of “The world is one family”.
Meanwhile the American Govt was conducting senate
hearings immediately after the attack and during 2009 and publishing these reports. A cursory reading shows how they took these attacks more seriously than India.
The tragedy of India since time immemorial is that for all the bravado we exhibit, those within hobnob with the enemies of the country in a utopian fantasy dance drama of idealism and delusion.
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Liaquat Ali.
The Ghost who walks
Our media was not only insensitive but forgot basic principles of journalism.