Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120354700801.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Tackling terror

The editorial “Necessary but insufficient” (Dec. 2) hit the nail on the head. If Pakistan is sincere about curbing terrorism, it should deport Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind behind the Mumbai blasts of 1993, and ban all organisations in Pakistan and PoK that indulge in acts of terror against other countries.

As far as India is concerned, it should understand that war is not a solution to the issue. It should improve its intelligence mechanism and strengthen the borders. Pakistan will become a victim of terrorism emanating from its own soil if it does not act in time.

A. Amudhavanan,

Alangulam

* * *

The theory of our investigators that the Mumbai attacks were the handiwork of the Lashkar-e-Taiba is almost entirely based on the confession of Mohammed Ajmal Amir Iman, the terrorist captured alive. Given the track record of the investigating agencies in extracting confessions, it is anybody’s guess whether they will be admissible in a court of law. The Mumbai massacre was an attack on India’s sovereignty.

Muthi-ur-Rahman Siddiqui,

Bangalore

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The seeds of communal hatred were sown by our politicians for their vested interests in the form of Babri Masjid demolition, the 1993 Mumbai riots, and the Gujarat pogrom. We are reaping the harvest from time to time by losing innocent lives. Enough is enough. It is time to stand united and fight the virus of communal hatred.

Rashid Ghani Khan,

Aligarh

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Secularism is an important ingredient of our pluralist society. There are some who argue that we should jump on the American bandwagon and join the ‘war on terror,’ and take lessons from Israel. Terrorism took the worst turn in Pakistan only after Pervez Musharraf followed the prescriptions of George Bush.

Syed Sultan Mohiddin,

Kadapa

* * *

The government should consider attacking terrorist training camps deep inside Pakistan, as is being done by the U.S. forces, using long-range missiles.

Ashok Kumar Pitla,

Hyderabad

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Ten youngsters with bags slung on their shoulders, assault rifles and grenades held our armed forces to ransom for almost four days. The incident should make us rethink the nature of terror warfare. Instead of parroting that this was India’s 9/11, we should emulate the U.S. which has secured its borders in such a way that not a single terror attack has taken place since 2001. The police should be better equipped and given a free hand to deal with terrorists and terror suspects. The army should be allowed to destroy the terrorist training camps which have mushroomed along the border.

P.A. Vishwanth,

Mysore

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The larger question is: from whom did the terrorists who attacked Mumbai get logistic support and shelter? No one can walk into a foreign country and start shooting precisely at his chosen target unless some local support is available and there are some safe hideouts. Where did the terrorists hide after they landed in Mumbai till the time of the attacks? The groups providing support from within the country are far more dangerous.

M.N. Balachandra,

Bangalore