The Challenge of Terrorism to India's Infrastructure and Economy - II Expo & Conference

Security Watch India’s, The Challenge of Terrorism to India's Infrastructure and Economy - II - Expo & Conference is first-of-its-kind exposition and conference for those responsible for protecting others from the threats posed by international terrorism and sub-state violence. In October 2011, it will bring together world’s leading expertise and cutting-edge technology to one of the world’s largest homeland security market – India. In addition, it will provide a unique opportunity to access world’s latest, most innovative and highly relevant ideas that to the professionals, who are involved with this dynamic and ever-changing task of providing homeland security, to help them deliver against this menacing challenge.

This two-day conference & expo will be a novel learning experience for security experts to exchange ideas and expose themselves to emerging understandings and practices in their specific sub-fields. While the central focus of the conference will be challenges of business continuity and urban terrorism, issues like modernization of Indian security infrastructure, mass transit protection and critical infrastructure security will also receive considerable attention.

The exposition complimenting the conference will not only be the showcase of state-of-the-art technologies from around the globe for security professionals from the Indian Government and the private sector to familiarize themselves with. It will also be a unique opportunity for developers of these technologies to understand and adapt according to what can soon be the biggest market for their technology on the planet.

SWI has been a catalyst for thought leadership in the field of Indian Homeland Security for the last two years. Its events, held regularly in every part of the world, are recognized as foremost learning opportunities for security professionals and are held in high esteem. This event is the flagship event of Security Watch India and represents culmination of a two-year long discussion that SWI has carried forward involving all stakeholders in various parts of the world.

Pune Terrorism: Indian Group Now Suspected

Pune police wait for the chemical analysis reports to establish which group was responsible for Saturday’s bomb blast in Pune However Riyaz Bhatkal and his brother Iqbal Bhatkal, founder-members of the Indian Mujahideen (IM), have emerged as prime suspects.

Sources said the modus operandi of the blast looks the handiwork of IM led by Riyaz Bhatkal, held responsible for at least 11 blasts across India since 2005. The blasts stopped in 2008 when Mumbai crime branch busted the module and arrested its leading members. ‘‘Bhatkal has been masterminding various blasts since 2005. But it was only after the Mumbai police busted the ring that his and Sadiq Shaikh’s names cropped up. Until then, all investigating agencies had been speculating the hand of Lashkar-e-Taiba,’’ said an officer on condition of anonymity. 

In 2008, when crime branch arrested 21 IM members, the prime accused, Riyaz Bhatkal, his brother Iqbal Bhatkal, and their associates, Mohammed Ali, Amin, Irfan and Abu Rashid remained at large. Among the 21 arrested, most are well educated and from well-off families. Top among them were the computer engineer Mohammed Mansoor Asgar Peerbhoy and MBBS doctor Anwar Bagwan. During interrogations, the accused revealed that all the operations were carried out under Bhatkal, a small time extortionist in Kurla.

Sources said the Bhatkals were born in Bhatkal village in Mangalore, and grew up in Kurla, Mumbai, where they ran a leather-tanning business. In Kurla, they stayed at Pipe Road, a stone’s throw from the place that once housed the banned organisation SIMI’s head office. It was there that the two brothers became strong SIMI members and ran the office until the Maharashtra government sealed it in 2001.

To escape the police, Riyaz came in contact with Naseer Aydeet, a member of the Fazlu Rehman gang. After the fall of the gang, Riyaz and Naseer decided to start their own gang named RN (R for Riyaz and N for Naseer).

Their names cropped up after the 7/11 blasts, but they had already fled Karnataka. While the two brothers are on the run, their family members are underground, police said. It’s learnt they went to UP where they recruited youth from Azamgarh to send them to Pakistan for training. Bhatkals are accused of hatching conspiracies ranging from recruiting youth, training and selecting targets and even supplying RDX.

The same group was responsible for sending e-mails by hacking into WiFi systems in Sanpada, Chembur and Khalsa College, Sion before the Ahmedabad and Delhi blasts.

Northern Ireland-terrorism 'increasing threat' to Britain

The threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism to large Britain has increased, the government's new counter-terrorism strategy says.
The strategy concentrates on global terrorism and potential threats to the Olympic Games.

Support for dissident republican terrorists in NI remains low, it says.
But it notes the frequency of attacks within Northern Ireland has risen significantly from 22 in 2009 to 40 in 2010, and 16 attacks so far this year.
It claims many more attack has been successfully disrupted.

Whilst the level of the terrorist threat within Northern Ireland is rated as rigorous, in Great Britain the threat level is considered substantial, meaning there is a strong possibility of an attack.

The Home Office says it will work with the Stormont government to make sure any changes are compliant with the legal system in Northern Ireland.

The strategy states that important additional funding has already been given to the PSNI to build its capabilities to investigate and disrupt terrorist attacks over the next four years.

It adds that an important percentage of security service operational resources will remain devoted to Northern Ireland-related terrorism.