Mumbai Terrorist Attacks Show Rise of Strategic Terrorist Culture
This free report downloadable from Rand analyses the Mumbai terrorist
attacks in India, suggests the possibility of an escalating
terrorist campaign in South Asia and the rise of a strategic terrorist
culture. The RAND study identifies the operational and tactical
features of the attack, evaluates the response of Indian security
forces, and analyzes the implications for India, Pakistan and the
United States. “India will continue to face a serious jihadist threat
from Pakistan-based terrorist groups, and neither Indian nor U.S.
policy is likely to reduce that threat in the near future,” said Angel
Rabasa, lead author of the study and a senior political scientist with
RAND, a nonprofit research organization. “Other extremist groups in
Pakistan likely will find inspiration in the Mumbai attacks, and we can
expect more attacks with high body counts and symbolic targets.”
The report analyzes key weaknesses in the country's general counter-terrorism and threat-mitigation structure,
including gaps in coastal surveillance, inadequate “target hardening,”
incomplete execution of response protocols, response timing problems,
inadequate counter-terrorism training and equipment for the local
police, limitations of municipal fire and emergency services, flawed
hostage-rescue plans, and poor strategic communications and information
management.
