Former chief of Intelligence Bureau Ajit Doval, in a conversation with rediff.com on Friday, lambasted the United States for trying to create confusion among Indian intelligence agencies by its advisory that terrorists may strike at Sarojini Nagar, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh and Chandni Chowk in Delhi and markets in Mehrauli.
"I have not seen the advisory as yet. But from what has been appearing in the media, I can tell you that it should be taken with a pinch of salt. The places that have been mentioned had been targets of terrorist attacks in the past. So what is new in it? For me, what matters is the information with the Delhi police and the Intelligence Bureau about possible terror targets," said an agitated Doval, now a well known counter-terrorism expert.
According to him, terror is not about how many people have been killed but how many people have been mentally affected by it. It is the survivors who constantly live in fear. "If they have managed to achieve that, the purpose of the terrorists is served," Doval said.
He wondered at the timing of the alert released by the US and Australian intelligence agencies. "What has happened has happened. But the terrorists' strategy is a different ball game altogether. It would have been better if the US administration had given the Government of India details of the funds that are being made available to terrorist outfits, movement of explosives etc. Merely saying that they would be targetting major shopping centres in the capital means nothing. They are merely trying to press the panic button," Doval said.
He hoped the Delhi police chief Y S Dadwal would speak his mind on this issue when he holds a press conference later on Friday.
The Delhi police's public relations officer Rajan Bhagat told rediff.com that he would not like to comment on the claims made by the US agencies. "I am not commenting on any individual or piece of information. On behalf of the Delhi police I would like to assure all that security is our prime concern and we have made elaborate arrangements to counter threats by terrorists," Bhagat said.
