Intelligence & National Security Discussion

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Ananth
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Ananth »

shyamd wrote: For example, the books by former Director IB, Ajit Doval, are considered the most authentic view on the Kandhar hijack in 1999 and also the operation Black Thunder conducted at the Golden temple, Amritsar, in 1988. The book “Open Secrets” by former Joint Director IB M.K. Dhar blames the Congress for terrorism in Punjab and reveals the intrigues of the Indira Gandhi government.
I am not aware of any books by Doval's. Google doesn't help either. Are there any books by him? Or is the author referring to some articles by Doval? If anyone knows about Doval's books, pointers would be appreciated.
sanjaychoudhry
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sanjaychoudhry »

Ananth wrote:
shyamd wrote: For example, the books by former Director IB, Ajit Doval, are considered the most authentic view on the Kandhar hijack in 1999 and also the operation Black Thunder conducted at the Golden temple, Amritsar, in 1988. The book “Open Secrets” by former Joint Director IB M.K. Dhar blames the Congress for terrorism in Punjab and reveals the intrigues of the Indira Gandhi government.
I am not aware of any books by Doval's. Google doesn't help either. Are there any books by him? Or is the author referring to some articles by Doval? If anyone knows about Doval's books, pointers would be appreciated.
You can ask him yourself.

a k d o v a l a t g m a i l d o t c o m
ramana
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

A news report should be
a) informative
b) advocative

I dont understand the Chengappa article. What does it want to say? And why?
Avinash R
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Avinash R »

ramana wrote:I dont understand the Chengappa article.
What does it want to say?
JMT :) , He means to say, There is already a mechanism for sharing intl between agencies. This is to counter the impression being created by some "news" channels like ibn that there is no co-operation between central and state agencies.
ramana wrote:And why?
He means to say, There is no need of another "federal" agency. The existing ones are enough, just make full use of the intl they provide.
eg: the kar'taka police nabbing the prepak militants using the intl from AI.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

FYI.
Pioneer, 30 June 2008-Op-Ed:
Shutting out the truth

A Surya Prakash

In this age of transparency, accountability and right to information, the Government has surely touched a 'RAW' nerve by prohibiting officials in intelligence and security agencies from writing their memoirs. Following a slew of books in recent years from such officials which contain damning information about the way these agencies are run, the Government has responded by prosecuting one of the authors and has now issued an order forbidding sleuths from penning their memoirs. Unfortunately, these governmental moves come at a time when civil society is getting ready to give the anachronistic Official Secrets Act a decent burial. Instead of going with the times, the Government is injecting new life into the OSA's decrepit provisions and is also finding new ways to come down on whistle blowers who are doing our democracy proud.

The ban comes after the Government decided to proceed against Maj Gen VK Singh, a former Joint Secretary in the Research & Analysis Wing, who authored the controversial book, India's External Intelligence -- Secrets of Research & Analysis Wing under the OSA. Looking at the intimidatory tactics employed by Government, one wonders whether this is the same Government that bought the Right to Information Act into being?

Also, is this the Government that appointed the second Administrative Reforms Commission? After a comprehensive review of the RTI Act, this Commission, headed by Mr Veerappa Moily, declared that the time had come for the Government to move "from the prevailing culture of secrecy to a new culture of openness". As regards the Official Secrets Act, it said that this law had "illiberal and draconian provisions" and that it was an anachronism in its present form.

The ban has been imposed on officials working in Government agencies that are placed outside the purview of the RTI Act. Section 24 of this Act says that this law will not apply to organisations dealing with intelligence gathering and security which are listed in Schedule II of the Act. Among the 18 organisations listed here are the Research & Analysis Wing, the Intelligence Bureau and paramilitary organisations.

The Armed Forces and the Central Bureau of Investigation do not find mention in this schedule. But, given the level of discomfort within Government to this new fad among bureaucrats and sleuths, it may find ways to arm twist others as well including senior bureaucrats.

The gag order is unfortunate because it is only in recent times that citizens working for the Government had begun to breathe the fresh air of freedom. Here is a sample of what we would have been denied if the Government had imposed this gag order some years ago: Inside IB and RAW -- The Rolling Stone That Gathered Moss by K Sankaran Nair, former chief of RAW; The Kaoboys of R& AW -- Down Memory Lane by BRaman, former head of Counter-Terror Division of RAW who retired as Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat; Maj Gen VK Singh's India's External Intelligence -- Secrets of RAW and Open Secrets -- India's Intelligence Unveiled my Maloy Krishna Dhar, former Joint Director, Intelligence Bureau.

Mr Sankaran Nair, who was a trusted lieutenant of the Nehru-Gandhis, talks of how Sanjay Gandhi got his appointment as Director of IB cancelled on the eve of the imposition of Emergency because he refused to subject himself to an 'interview' by the Prime Minister's son before he was given the letter of appointment. He also talks of how he carried a cheque for $ 6 million and credited the same to a numbered account in a Swiss Bank. This sum was supposedly a kickback to some persons close to the Shah of Iran who had organised a $ 250 million loan from Iran to India in 1974 to enable the latter to tide over a foreign exchange crisis.

Both Mr Raman and Maj Gen VK Singh discuss the working of RAW in their books and make invaluable suggestions in regard to periodic audit of the agency's work. Apart from highlighting "glaring anomalies" in procurement of equipment, Maj Gen Singh talks about ego clashes among officers, lack of leadership and accountability. He also discusses the ease with which foreign intelligence agencies planted moles in RAW. Mr Raman says there is need for "limited parliamentary monitoring" of the performance of espionage agencies.

Mr Dhar opens a can of worms when he talks about the manner in which Mrs Indira Gandhi deployed the IB for personal and political purposes. Though Congress Prime Ministers have traditionally used the IB as if it were part of a jaagir that comes with office, Mr Dhar's revelations are truly shocking. He speaks of how Mrs Gandhi used the agency, without any qualms, for both private and political purposes like spying on her daughter-in-law Maneka Gandhi and her mother Amteshwar Anand.

Apart from these books, we also have A Cabinet Secretary Looks Back by Mr BG Deshmukh, former Cabinet Secretary, and Who owns the CBI -- The Naked Truth by Mr BR Lal, former Joint Director, CBI. Though the gag order does not apply to officials like Cabinet Secretaries or those working in agencies like the CBI which are not listed in Schedule II of the RTI Act, there is every danger of the political establishment extending it to other areas of Government as well.

Mr Deshmukh, for example, talks of how after 1980, the Congress switched from domestic to foreign sources for collecting party funds and much of this came by way of commissions given by foreign companies on Indian deals. He also says that he was aware that "the Prime Minister's house (of Rajiv Gandhi) had access to funds from abroad". Even more disturbing is his account of how an unknown, unqualified Italian "consultant" was brought in by Rajiv Gandhi to "train" the Special Protection Group, much against the advice of top officials. This Italian threw his weight around and misbehaved with senior SPG officers.

The book carries a graphic account of how the then Director of RAW was asked to carry suitcases full of Italian currency to Rome to personally hand over the "consultation fee" to this so-called expert, who Mr Deshmukh realised was Mr Gandhi's "in-law". Coming as it does from the country's top bureaucrat, these inputs are invaluable for those who value democracy.

People like Mr Deshmukh and Mr Sankaran and the others mentioned in this article believe that it is in the public interest to place these truths in the public domain. Should we allow a small bunch of insecure or corrupt politicians and bureaucrats to stifle these voices simply because they are uncomfortable with the truth?
A common theme in all the bolded parts is the systematic issues and political maluse that are being sought to be muzzled. Its not National security issues but problems due to maluse which have invited this gag order.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by pushkar.bhat »

Apologies for this cross posting but I thought this was the most appropriate thread to which I could post this.

Did any one read the news on the intelligence operation to rescue the FARC Hostages in Colombia. Old Fashioned Fake-out helps rescue FARC Hostages. All I can say is that this is a master piece of a intelligence operation and hopefully will be in the textbook for all intel officers.

I plan to put together a event time line on this entire episode and will host it on my website. If I remember clearly the Colombians actually pulled a operation a couple of months ago that nearly wiped out the entire FARC leadership minus its own folks.. Given the risks that were involved in such a operation this was and will always remain a master piece and a case study. The guys who made this happen have my deepest respect.
sum
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sum »

If I remember clearly the Colombians actually pulled a operation a couple of months ago that nearly wiped out the entire FARC leadership minus its own folks.. Given the risks that were involved in such a operation this was and will always remain a master piece and a case study. The guys who made this happen have my deepest respect.
Congrats to colombian intelligence....Im sure it will have a CIA imprint since IIRC, CIA trains the intel to hunt drug lords....

Even the IB/G branch(BSF intel) had conducted such a ops which had wiped out the entire Al-Badr leadership from which Al-Badr never recovered and is now almost extinct......But,as usual, our unsung heros in the cloak never got much mention about their stupendous achivement(except Pravin Swami)
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by shyamd »

Columbia's MOD indicated that a small Israeli company, offered some important advice in the operation that led to the release of Betancourt and others held by FARC guerillas.

----------------------
RAW chief has a major Chinese offensive against his ops and also dealing with major mistakes by analysts.
Ananth
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Ananth »

shyamd wrote:
----------------------
RAW chief has a major Chinese offensive against his ops and also dealing with major mistakes by analysts.
Can you expand on that?
shyamd
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by shyamd »

yes, couple of things. I think the story about RAW not predicting Maoists to come to power was true as the station chief (Suresh Dhundiya) in Kathmandu was sacked. Then Uma Mishra (station chief in Beijing operating under cover of first sec) was sacked over the honey trap scandle, same with Ravi Nair (SL station chief). Even after all this Raw created a Joint intelligence unit with chinese state intel.

Mistrust over Tibetan govt in exile in Dharamsala is another issue between the 2 intel agencies.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by narayana »

Hi,

Question to gurus,How much of lapse was there from Indian side on not expecting attack on indian Embassy in Afghanistan?can this be termed as Intelliegence failure on such a high value target which was always on Taliban Cross Hair.and are there any Inputs on ISI involvement?
sindbad
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Career in Indian Intelligence

Post by sindbad »

Hello,

I have been loitering around BR for quite some time. I like this site; some of the posts are highly analytical ... while some are highly imaginative.

My background is:
i. Undergrad from IIT in Electrical Engg, Graduate from US Ivy League University in Finance.
ii. Profession: Trader on Wall Street in NYC.
iii. Age and Marital Status: very late 20's - early 30's. Single.
(pls note that details have been intentionally left out)

My questions are:
1. Can someone with my background be of any direct use to the Indian Intelligence community while I am in the US in my current position?
Interested parties -- Please feel free to pm me.

2. On the other hand, if I move to India, which is the best way for someone with my background to join any of the Indian Intelligence agencies. (Salary/location is not a concern.)

Moderators kindly move this thread to another location if this is not the appropriate forum.

Regards,
sindbad.
ramana
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

Sigh. I don't know why you wan to post such stuff on BR. It would appear to be a solicitation for recruitment. Any way more likely the chefs will contact you before anyone else.

What I heard is one has to appear for IAS exam and fail to make the cut for even the second tier services. Then if the folks feel like it they will contact you and hire you.
Not kidding.

And your Ivy league will make them nervous.

-
Instead why don't you start an open source service of your own and publish on the web. They say with open source you can get to 95% for strategic intelligence. Tactical you need spies and all that.
sindbad
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sindbad »

lol. Yes I am willing to spend 1-2yr, give the IAS and then select the 3rd tier choice of IPS.

However, there have been instances of recruitment from the R&AW directly from universities -- would they not be interested in someone with my background?

I have been in the US for 5y+, so I am not very up-to-date on the recruiting process for Indian counter-intel.

I am willing to relocate. Salary is no concern -- surely there is some channel to get in touch with.

regards.
sid
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Rony »

sindbad, i dont know how much this will help you, but just in case

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020618/edu.htm


Q I wish to make a career as an intelligence agent with the Research and Analysis Wing. Please tell me how do I go about it.

Amit Sukheja

A Recruitment to the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) is conducted in the following manner:

Direct recruitment: Deputy Field Officers (at the junior level), field officers and senior field officers are appointed directly to the Research & Analysis Service (RAS). Recruitment at the lowest level is that of an ‘attache’ and during the probation period, you are designated as Under Secretary. As per the rules, 50 per cent of the posts in the senior cadre are filled through direct recruitment while the remaining are filled through promotions and deputation of special officers from the CBI, IT, Customs, RBI, and the state police (at the SP, DIG or IG level) for a period of 5-7 years which is extendable up to ten years.

Senior level appointments: These are made in two ways: (i) on-campus recruitment of Civil Service candidates while training for the foundation course and (ii) recruitment of University graduates. You must have a first division from Class X onwards. Final selection is made through interviews.

Specialist appointments: Personnel for technical or scientific jobs are selected through campus interviews which are conducted at such institutes. Generally, those with some experience in government organisations are preferred. The Interview Panel includes experts and selectors from the UPSC.

Language specialists: Interestingly, RAW also employs language specialists as its work involves dealing with foreign countries.
sindbad
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sindbad »

Thanks, I have googled and arrived at this article also. point ii) says RAW recruits from universities which implies it is not restrictive upon giving the ICS exams.

Surely there must a formal procedure, just not publicised like the US/UK intel services.

I think my best bet is to directly contact the wing. But if anybody has had experiences with the R&AW pls provide that. thanks much
Avinash R
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Avinash R »

Wi-fi scare in times of terror
New Delhi:

As is now well-known, the threat e-mail sent by the Indian Mujahideen, minutes before the Ahmedabad bombings went off, was done by breaking into the wi-fi network of a US national Kenneth Haywood , residing at a Navi Mumbai apartment.

Someone with a laptop, accessed Haywood’s wi-fi, sent the e-mail and left the premises.

With wi-fi, a person need not visit a cybercafe to send an e-mail. If suppose the Vidhan Soudha or M G Road area in Bangalore were made wi-fi, it takes anyone just minutes to access the net and dash a mail.

It would be the same if it is in the vicinity of corporate offices, wi-fi enabled airports, hotels, etc.

Last weekend’s sending of the e-mail is an indication of the ease with which technology can be misused.

Right now, the Bengaluru International Airport is the only public place in the IT hub which is wi-fi enabled.

Now comes the question of access-control to these facilities as well as how secure these technologies are.

Before wi-fi was introduced in India, the Intelligence Bureau was learnt to have demanded that there be adequate access control mechanisms so that people accessing or owning it could be identified. However, this proposal was rejected as the Government did not want to come in the way of introduction of new technologies.

At present, there is no uniform system of control over wi-fi access.

Following the concerns expressed by the IB, the Home Ministry is understood to be examining a proposal to ask authorities to ensure that wi-fi systems can be logged on only after keying in a user name and password.

With this, say authorities, every user of a particular wi-fi can be tracked down.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by shyamd »

Ministries sit on plan to strengthen intelligence agencies
New Delhi (PTI): Despite claims by Union Home Ministry about strengthening intelligence mechanism, the situation on the ground seems to be different with the finance ministry sitting on various proposals relating to sleuths and the nodal ministry sitting on a proposal of the CRPF for having a separate intelligence wing.

The Intelligence Bureau had submitted a proposal for setting up Multi Agency Centres in various states with an annual budget of few crores, but it was not agreed to by the Union Finance Ministry which asked IB to generate resources from its existing budget.

The much-awaited Multi Agency Centre (MAC), proposed to be the hub for country's counter-terror measures suggested by a Group of Ministers set up to study intelligence reforms in the wake of the Kargil war, was yet to see the light of the day as the Finance ministry put a spoke in the attempt, official sources said.

MAC, along with state-level subsidiaries called SMACs, would operate as a national counter-terrorism database, identify operational priorities and build capabilities needed to execute them. The MAC, in turn, was to take inputs from the State-level police-intelligence Joint Task Forces.

Till date, the MAC continues to be working a very less staff that too derived out of the Intelligence Bureau with no contribution from any other agency including Army and RAW with no real-time links to state police forces.
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Posting email addresses in an open forum

Post by Mandeep »

Please don't post Mr Doval's email address in such an open manner. Apart from the ubiquitous address-harvesters on behalf of spammers this manner of posting his address her lays his mailbox open to the worst kind of hackers working for our neighbours both to the West and East.

As a genuine national hero who still works very hard to keep this country secure this is the very least that we owe him.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Kati »

Gujarat shows the way......
Terror-hit Gujarat to raise special intelligence cadre
6 Aug 2008, 1054 hrs IST,PTI, Times of India

AHMEDABAD: In a bid to strengthen the information-gathering mechanism to thwart terror activities, the Gujarat government has decided to create a special intelligence unit by direct recruitment of cadres.

"We will be directly recruiting about 60 per cent of field staff, mainly at the level of police sub-inspectors, for intelligence gathering through state recruitment board," Principal Secretary (Home) Balwant Singh said.

"The direct recruitment for intelligence operations means these staff will be deputed for intelligence gathering only. They cannot be transferred for policing duty," Singh said.

At present, the state intelligence wing which is under the CID, gets field officers from police force who are transferred back for policing duty after some time.

The move is seen as an attempt to revive the intelligence wing following the recent blasts in Ahmedabad where 55 people were killed and planting of 24 bombs in Surat.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had criticised the failure of state intelligence wing in gathering prior information about the serial blasts in the city.

The state government plans to revamp totally its intelligence wing after the blasts, officials said.

Amid allegations and counter-allegations on the failure of central and state agencies in gathering information about the blasts, this seems to be a step in right direction, they said.

"We are yet to decide about the number of officials to be directly recruited at higher levels than sub-inspectors," Singh said, adding the decision was taken long back but the government has expedited its implementation after the blasts.

The newly-recruited cadre will be placed under the CID's (crime) intelligence wing, Singh said.

The home department has already send a proposal to the state's Gaun Seva Pasandgi Mandal, responsible for such recruitment, for carrying out the process.

"We have to device a foolproof recruitment procedure for selection of people to create a first of its kind intelligence cadre in the state," Mandal chairman Yashodhar Bhatt said.

"What we want in candidates is they should have an aptitude and inclination for intelligence gathering as they will have to do on that field only," Bhatt said.

During Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent to the city after the Ahmedabad blasts, Chief Minister Narendra Modi had sought the creation of a special cadre for intelligence like IAS and IPS.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Avinash R »

Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered at least 800 terrorist cells: NSA
Link

Tuesday, 12 August 2008 16:08 IST

Kuala Lumpur, Aug 12: Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered at least 800 terrorist cells in the country operating with "external support," and are now looking for the brains behind them within India, National Security adviser M K Narayanan has said.

"We are concerned that there is a great deal of external inspiration and support, we are also concerned and are looking at a mastermind within the country," Narayanan said in an interview here, when asked about investigations into the blasts that rocked Bangalore and Ahmedabad on consecutive days.

Narayanan said intelligence agents had "disrupted" several modules, some of which are "not entirely foreign." "Clearly, there is some kind of organisation. We have to find out if that organisation is localised or there is an external group or module operating," he said without elaborating.

He also expressed concern over the bombing of hospitals by terror outfits in Ahmedabad - the first instance of a hospital being targeted by terrorists in India.

"Copycat systems are coming up," he said.

"Like putting bombs in vehicles near hospitals soon after blasts, knowing that large congregations will be there and impact will be much greater," Narayanan said.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

It boggles the mind that sevearl nodes which are disconnected to each other have been setup and the NSA wonders if there is an organization behind it? isnt that how cells operate to ensure they carry on if some of them are busted. And didn't the Khalistanis put bombs near hospitals in Punjab?
ramana
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

Google cache on news stories of OSS records release

Note the training provided to Mao.
ramana
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

X-posted...
Paul wrote:This is precisely why I had said many weeks ago that the calibre of India's pakistan watchers leaves much to be desired when compared to perceptive observors like Ahmed Rashid who highlighted the dangers of the Taliban many years ago.

Khaled Ahmed's comment about Karachi being Pakistan's jaguar vein and not Kashmir shows this contrast as well.

Intelligence people are apt to focus only on tactical events and beacuse they work in solitude, are unable to discern a patten as they do not have access to all the pieces.

B Raman's alarcity in 1. blaming the BJP for the Jammu troubles while overlooking the discrimation by the valley muslims

2. Concern over alienating IMs while overlooking the cretinous role of the left in papering their crimes.

shows up his shortcomings and prejudices.

Thats why I say need for a new agency.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by satya »

Often read we have good field intelligence operatives providing gud & valuable intel reports but quality of analysts leave much to be desired . Issue here is two fold :

1} are we getting biased first hand intel from field operatives mainly cuz of their police background ?

2) analysis of intel reports where analysts at JAC/MAC/RACs are failing to see long term trends as being pointed by Paul .

If we go for an entirely new agency , what role will be of IB & RAW ? Can we increase the operational mandate of DIA under MoD so we can get a fresh prospective instead of going for a whole new agency set up ?
ramana
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

Satya see page one.
I think that for tactical level intelligence the exisiting vacuum approachis working even though it needs a lot of sifting.

What I am not sure is about strategic analysis whichis woeful as we have repeated surprises. Read my article in BRM on KRC report (Factors of Surprise) and the earlier one one India Today article about intel surprise. There are systematic issues due to the heirarchial nature of organizations. What is need is a flatter, open and learning organization. All this top dog super acvieving babus fail because they all have the bull frog syndrome. The one how croaks the loudest gets the attention. Works for frogs but not for intelligent beings.


BRM Refs:

From the first issue of BRM!

kargil Surprise How and Why?

and
a year later:

KRC Report a Commentary

The latter, KS says is the best comprhensive reviewof KRC report he has seen inside and outside!
satya
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by satya »

Ramana

thnxx for the links , definitely helps in understanding our intel set-up shortcomings .Biggest issue is accountability . Other steps tht can be taken are :

1} Permanent cadre for each intel set up instead of ad-hocism with incentives based on performance review to be carried in total unbiased manner . ( Mody's demand for a nation wide Nation Intelligence Cadre is a step in this direction )

2} Establishing a National Intelligence & Analysis Directorate ( upgraded from JIC with complete new set of analysts directly under the PMO getting daily inputs from all intel agencies and also separately each agency's assessment of received intel ( to be shared btw intel agencies under NIAD roof ) . This may very well provide PMO with two assessments one from the agencies PoV and another from NIAD one providing the larger stategic intel.

3} Establishment of Multi Agency Co-ordination Centres in states and in border areas with all agencies sharing the local intel for tht particular region and having its own analysis & assessment facility locally to provide complete picture to concerned officials in tht area. I think this was recomended by KRC and a few MAACs were set up but were under staffed and left to rot subsequently.

4} An increased role for DIA for a fresh pre-emptive type intel analysis & policy directions .

5} Re-establishment of Prime Minister Study Group on line of VSG ( vice roy study group) tht can deliberate all these reports and can help PMO in long term policy directions .

6} MEA too should be provided its own intel & analysis deptt . RAW officials should go completely covert and not provided with emabssy postings abroad to make them more sharp in simple words so they can use their time more productively instead of issuing new passports for money abroad . ( IB still had this policy in times of Punjab Insurgency days where its SP rank officials did field postings entirely covert with no official cover whtsoever ! )

7} Need intel on financial & commodity markets to be sure about moves tht other players are making very imp. to protect the Indian economy from nasty surprises . So far all the info tht GoI receive in this fiel are from secondary sources . Need to develop primary sources in this vital field .
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sunilUpa »

X Posting

Breakthrough in Ahmedabad blasts case
There has been a breakthrough in the investigations into the serial bomb blasts that rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, according to reliable sources in Gandhinagar.

While Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi [Images] is likely to announce the progress of the investigations in the state capital on Saturday, the sources told rediff.com that the mastermind behind the blasts is a mufti (Islamic teacher) who has been arrested from a madrasa in Uttar Pradesh [Images].

His background is being investigated as he operates under different aliases, like Ahmed Rashid and Abu Bakar Ismail. The Gujarat police suspect that he had migrated to UP from Hyderabad.

However, what makes the arrest interesting is that the investigators are said to have got details from him of the terrorists involved in the bomb blasts in Malegaon, Jaipur, Bengaluru and Ajmer as well.
While the details of the investigation will be revealed on Saturday, it is learnt that an accomplice of the mufti has eluded the cops in Maharashtra.

With this arrest, the Gujarat police may get credit for the first-ever insight into the group which has wreaked havoc in different parts of the country in the last four years.

Police officers investigating the case were tight-lipped and refused to reveal any details before the political leadership made it public on Saturday.
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Kakkaji »

sunilUpa wrote:X Posting

Breakthrough in Ahmedabad blasts case
a mufti (Islamic teacher) who has been arrested from a madrasa in Uttar Pradesh [Images].

While the details of the investigation will be revealed on Saturday, it is learnt that an accomplice of the mufti has eluded the cops in Maharashtra.
So the UP Police was able to catch the culprit, while the Maharashtra Police was not.

Could it be due to who controls the Govt in these two states?

If so, it is a bad scene.
Avinash R
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by Avinash R »

concrete steps from govt in gujarat unlike the mentally sick and non working patil at the centre.
Gujarat to have India's first anti-terror varsity
Friday, August 15, 2008

If national security was one of the key points raised by the Prime Minister in his independence day speech, the Gujarat Chief Minister took it one step further by announcing the creation of an anti-terror university with experts from around the world.

With the National Institute of Design, Gujarat already has top-notch educational institutes. But now it will be home to India's first anti-terror university -- Surakha University. Chief minister Narendra Modi made the following announcement on the Independence day:

"We are now going to setup this university dedicated for the education of security aspects and various other aspects to handle the rising shadow of terrorism. The university will be dedicated to people across the globe, fallen prey to terrorists and this will help us to kill the terrorist ideas more effectively.."

Suraksha University will be set up in the state capital Gandhinagar. The government is drafting the syllabus in consultation with security experts across the country. The faculty will include anti-terror experts, while retired police officers have also been asked to participate. To counter terrorists who use sophisticated weapons, the state has also asked the Forensic Science laboratory in Gandhinagar to take classes.

Security experts have welcomed the plan.

M M Mehta, former Commissioner of Police, Ahmedabad, says: "The idea once implemented will help security agencies immensely and also taking the note of lack of terrorism combat experts in government agencies, this university can contribute a lot developing a much better manpower to handle terrorism and terrorist activities across the nation."

A formal proposal from Gujarat Government is now being forwarded to University Grants Commission for its approval to start the first batch of the anti-terrorism studies university in the country and if everything goes well, the first batch of intending graduates will be in the classrooms by first quarter of 2010.
sum
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sum »

India's first anti-terror university -- Surakha University.
Im guessing its a typo and its "Suraksha univ"

However, i have lost whatever respect i had for Modi....
~50 bombs being planted undetected is a monstrous failure whatever way one sees it, no matter what tough talk the administration makes...
satya
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by satya »

How Iraq Changed The Game
The war in Iraq has changed the way military intelligence operations are conducted. This came about because smaller combat units were now able to pass more information to the intelligence specialists, and these troops now have more powerful hardware and software to do something with the flood of new data. In the past, the brigade, division and higher level intelligence shops conducted a lot of their own intelligence gathering (and had their own aircraft and reconnaissance units for that purpose). In theory, they were supposed to be getting a lot of information from subordinate units. But that was a paperwork nightmare. The smaller units had lots of good intel, but they were out there getting shot at, and had a hard time filling out reports. Intelligence specialists were supposed to debrief patrols and troops involved in other combat operations. But, as always, there were shortages of manpower to collect the information and put it to use.

That began to change in Iraq, where a lot of the debriefing got automated, and even the smallest infantry patrol, could easily report their findings electronically. By capturing the data electronically at the lowest level, and building database tools to handle it, information did not expire (as battlefield information tends to quickly do).
With lots more fresh battlefield data available, it was now possible to do things that, only a few years earlier, were believed the province of much larger, and better funded, organizations. For example, there is data fusion. This is collecting intelligence from many sources, and sorting through it for useful patterns and items that, in seen in the right context, are very valuable. The first of these fusion centers were set up at the national level two decades ago. But during the course of the Iraq war, the concept moved down the food chain. Cheaper, and more powerful, computer hardware was able to use analysis software to speed the fusion process, even in the hands of a relatively inexperienced operator. (MAACs in Indian Context )
Some of the most effective intelligence tools used in combat today, data mining and predictive analysis, were invented a century ago along with the development of junk mail. Who knew? For decades, the statistical tools used to determine who to send junk mail to (so the sender would make a profit) were not much use to the military. Then came cheaper, and more powerful computers, and the development of data mining and analysis tools. This made a big difference, because the more data you have to work with, the easier it is to predict things. This has been known for centuries.

Now, with thousand dollar laptop computers equipped with hundred gigabyte (or more) hard drives, you can put large amounts of data in one place, do the calculations, and make accurate predictions. This wasn't possible thirty years ago, when a 75 megabyte hard drive cost $45,000, and the computer doing the calculations cost even more than that. You also didn't have digital photography (more data you can store for analysis), or a lot of data, in general, stored electronically. It's all different today. That hundred gigabyte hard drive (holding over a thousand times more data than the $45,000 one of yore) costs less than a hundred bucks.

In the last few years, intel analysts have realized how powerful their tools are. And for those who studied math, statistics or business in college, they know the power of data mining, because it has become a very popular business tool. In places like Iraq and Afghanistan, lots of data is being collected all the time. It was data mining that led to the capture of Saddam, and the death of Zarqawi. Actually, over a hundred senior (team leader and up) al Qaeda terrorists have been killed or captured in Iraq using these techniques.
Data mining is basically simple in concept. In any large body of data, you will find patterns. Even if the bad guys are trying to avoid establishing a pattern to their actions, they will anyway. It's human nature, and only the most attentive pros can avoid this trap. Some trends are more reliable than others, but any trend at all can be useful in combat. The predictive analysis carried out with data mining and other analytic tools has saved the lives of hundreds of U.S. troops, by giving them warning of where roadside bombs and ambushes are likely to be, or where the bad guys are hiding out. Similarly, when data was taken off the site of the Zarqawi bombing, it often consisted only of names, addresses and other tidbits. But with the vast databases of names, addresses and such already available, typing in each item began to generate additional information, within minutes. That's why, within hours, the trove of data generated dozens of raids, and even more leads.
Speed has always been an advantage in combat, but, until recently, rarely something intelligence analysis was noted for. No longer. Predictive analysis is something the troops depend on, not only to tips on what to avoid, but for names and places to go after.
sanjeevjain
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sanjeevjain »

sum wrote:However, i have lost whatever respect i had for Modi....
~50 bombs being planted undetected is a monstrous failure whatever way one sees it, no matter what tough talk the administration makes...
Bhai, don't loose hope in probably our only hope for safeguarding India's interest. Yes, he may have failed here but based on his previous actions, I am very sure that he is not going to sit on his ass like Sonia Gandhi's government and babble.

Tell me which state police has been able to solve the blasts case? Not Rajasthan, Not Bangalore, Not Maharashtra but Gujarat. Why? I am sure Modi gave them free hand to do whatever the hell they wanted to capture the terrorists. He fully supported the Police in their work and has now taken lot of proactive steps to strengthen them such as setting up separate Intelligence cadre, Anti-terror university etc.

Though, I am also mad at him for not recognizing the serious deficiency in Gujarat police beforehand. It is common knowledge that ratio of Police to Citizen or any administrative position to citizen is horribly low. Even then, half the posts are not filled, besides ridiculously low pay for civil servants.

As someone once said, a crisis is a terrible opportunity to waste. I believe Modi is going to live up to his reputation and come out even stronger from this crisis.
ramana
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

So its a National security studies uty in the civilian sector. Good move. Most US uty have such subjects taught to increase awareness. The difference is this uty will provide full streams in NS studies. I hope it doesn't get hijacked as the JNU was. In the ealry 70s mrs G setup a whole bunch o schools at JNU on similar lines to provide an intellectual basis for India. Didnt work as it got hijacked by Commies and Lefties masquerading as Liberals.

Sum, yes there were blasts but the perpetrators were caught. This cant be said of other states or even the center. Lets not throw the baby with the bathwater and all that.
sum
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by sum »

As someone once said, a crisis is a terrible opportunity to waste. I believe Modi is going to live up to his reputation and come out even stronger from this crisis.
Amen to that....Hope that the same happens to make entire India safe
ASPuar
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ASPuar »

***Breaking News***

19 Aug 2008, 1552 hrs IST,PTI
Woman RAW official attempts suicide outside PMO

NEW DELHI: A woman RAW official tried to commit suicide by consuming pesticides outside the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday.

The official of the rank of a Director in the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) has cited harassment at workplace as the reason for taking such a drastic step, an official source said.

He said the woman was immediately taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital.
Further drama and deterioration in R&AW? Ive been seeing ominous tales of rumblings in the interior on this thread previously also, beginning with the warrants for Gen. VK Singh, and his accusations of incompetence in his book. By the rather theatrical choice of venue, this sounds much like a put-on job, to get attention, and what one wants. Maybe a token swig or so.
shyamd
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by shyamd »

I think this is the same woman who started causing a commotion outside the RAW Chief's residence or something along those lines, NSA had ordered an enquiry and apparently she was recommended for Psychiatric treatment.
ASPuar
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ASPuar »

http://tinyurl.com/5ovf38
NSA nixes RAW deal to woman
Friday June 20 2008 04:23 IST

NEW DELHI: The country’s external intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has landed in a controversy again.

Despite RAW secretary Ashok Chaturvedi strongly favouring immediate dismissal of a woman officer for being ‘mentally unstable’ and creating ‘problems’ for the agency, National Security Advisor (NSA) M K Narayanan has put his foot down and overruled the decision.

The NSA obviously does not want RAW to be shrouded in more controversies and has ordered not to touch the woman officer, top sources said, adding prudence perhaps requires it as the woman in question can go to the media and spit more, tarnishing the image of the organization.

The woman officer, serving in RAW’s training academy in Gurgaon had made allegations of sexual harassment against four senior level RAW officials and had also sought a foreign posting on the same grounds about three months ago.

When her tirade became stronger, the highest echelons of RAW decided to conduct a high-level inquiry. A committee was accordingly constituted headed by Deputy National Security Advisor Leela K Ponappa and two other women officers from the National Security Council Secretariat and RAW.

The committee in its report, submitted a week ago, did not find any strength in the allegations and rather found the complainant ‘mentally unstable’ and advised ‘psychiatric’ help for her. Following the report, RAW chief Chaturvedi decided to dismiss the officer before the NSA nullified his decision.

The person in question, sources allege, had created a scene by turning up at the RAW chief ’s residence at midnight and threatened to immolate herself if her demand for a foreign posting was not met.
It seems that you are correct. Bad, very bad for discipline. Anyone can turn up and cry for a foreign posting.
ramana
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Re: Intelligence & National Security Discussion

Post by ramana »

This NSA is there to undo National Security and promote insecurity. All he is good for is intimidating MPs on behalf of the ruling party. Very sad ending for an illustrious officer. Instead of becoming a Bhisma he became a Shakuni.
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