Nepal proposes SAARC police

A move is afoot to set up a SAARC police (SAARCPOL) on the lines of the Interpol to check trans-border crime in South Asia.

As chairperson of the SAARC, Nepal proposed the formation of SAARCPOL at a two-day conference of SAARC Police heads at Kathmandu in August, 2002.

-Hindustan Times - August 28, 2002

Airport scanners to look in the eye, size you up

Finger-printing is passe. So is the physical verification of photographs. In the future, sophisticated equipment installed at airports and security establishments will look into your eyes and identify you.

The Indian Home ministry and the Civil Aviation authorities are bringing in the latest technology in bio-metrics to fight terrorism. Under a pilot project to be undertaken at Mumbai and Delhi airports, sophisticated eye scanners and other equipment would be installed to intercept criminals and terrorists.

-The Indian Express - August 19, 2002

Senators vote for pilots to carry guns in cockpit

The US Senate voted overwhelmingly, to let airline pilots carry guns in their cockpits as a last ditch defence against hijackers, brushing aside strong opposition from the airlines, qualms from the chamber's leaders and the initial reluctance of the Bush administration.

The House and Senate both however voted to limit the pilots' right to use deadly force to the cockpits, and, under the rationale that the pilots are federal deputies, absolve the airlines of liability.

-The Asian Age September 7, 2002

An elite force of karate-kicking anti-terrorist fighters will begin riding on domestic Pakistani passenger jets soon. The new sky marshals are gaining attention in Pakistan's conservative Islamic society - not only for their skills but because they include nine women.

The first women sky marshals completed a 10-week course last month in hand-to-hand combat so grueling that some of their 49 male classmates dropped out. Only one woman failed to finish- because she broke her wrist.

- The Asian Age - August 4, 2002.

Role of Speed in Intelligence & Security.

The 9/11 attack on World Trade Centre has changed the course of life in USA. The scenario would have been slightly different if the two intercepts by NSA on September 10, 2001 of telephone conversations been distributed or communicated immediately. In one of the conversations, a militant is heard saying "the match begins tomorrow". In the other, an operative says "tomorrow is zero day". Transcripts of the conversation were unfortunately not translated and distributed till September 12. The conversation would have appeared vague at that time but had it been timely translated and distributed the analysts may have made the monitored conversation more enlightening by relating it with other bits and pieces of information available with intelligence and law enforcement agencies in USA. It is important that any piece of monitored information or a lead is communicated to the concerned immediately so that it is used immediately if it is useful. Delayed information like delayed justice is no information. In a similar case in 1992, a speedy decision by an Officer of the Indian Intelligence Bureau started the beginning of the end of the Punjab Sikh terrorist movement in India. A quick decision and speedy implementation of it, along with use of disinformation, brought an escaped Babbar Khalsa activist back into the policenet. The arrest of the BK activist changed the course of Sikh terrorist movement in Punjab and in India.

-Suresh Mandan, California USA