India's 9/11

India went through its own 9/11 yesterday when Mumbai, the country's financial capital was turned into a landscape of carnage and mayhem by the worst terrorist attack encountered by the nation.

Over 100 people were killed and hundreds more wounded when a group of militants sprayed the city of Mumbai with gunfire while laying seige to the landmark Taj Hotel holding its guests hostage and also taking over other buildings including the Trident Hotel with their occupants.

It was a night and morning of bloody mayhem and a stunned world watched aghast as footage of the horror was beamed to their homes live over satellite news channels. The terrorists virtually took over Mumbai, the epicentre of the nation's financial power. It was certainly the biggest ever terrorist attack carried out in India which was ill prepared for it according to commentators.

There were many parallels with the September 11 attack on the New York World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. Here too the targets were famous landmarks, the sprawling Taj Hotel in Mumbai being a treasured monument of Mumbai and a gateway to the city in more ways than one, with the landmark Gateway to India located nearby.

A shadowy islamic militant group claimed responsibility for the attack and demanded that all its members held in Indian prions be released in exchange for the hostages. At the time of writing gun battles were still on and the hotels sealed off, although Security Forces managed to secure the release of some hostages.

Those watching footage of the unfolding drama on CNN or NDTV would have no doubt been awestruck by audacity of the attack. The hostage drama, the frantic firefighting to the douse flames atop vital city landmarks, the shootout between police and the militants, the accompanying mayhem and anarchy were chilling.

This brazen act of terrorism would no doubt be roundly condemned by world leaders. It is time however they move away from this ritual condemnation and take concrete measures to deal with the scourge that is growing in proportion with each passing day.

The carefully coordinated attack with minute planning goes to demonstrate the sophistication gained by terrorists who are getting bolder and bolder to act with impunity. There is therefore an urgent need for world leaders to act fast to counter the menace.

Any more dilly dallying could only embolden the forces of evil to expand their activities. World conferences for combatting terrorism and other such fora are of no use in the absence of follow up action. The Mumbai attack has shown the world that terrorism is very much alive and all pervasive and that no country can escape its ill effects.

Sri Lanka too would feel the reverberations of the Mumbai attack being a country that is no stranger to terrorist attacks. There are lessons from this attack for the Lankan security establishment - that of being alert and extra vigilant and above all properly equipped to deal with such attacks.

This attack on the heart of India may also harden the attitude against terrorism by the Indian Central Government which would be in Sri Lanka's favour. It would leave the field open to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to continue with his military offensive against terrorists. This would lead to enhanced joint action and cooperation to stamp out terrorism. It would augur well for Sri Lanka now on the threshold of witnessing the total annihilation of the LTTE.

India is bound to take seriously the threat of transnational terrorism following the Mumbai carnage and step up anti-terrorism cooperation with Sri Lanka and other countries. Some positives may yet emerge from the Mumbai ruins that would spell doom for terrorists everywhere.

As the saying goes, terrorism anywhere is a threat to peace everywhere. This is why terrorism should not be looked as a phenomenon limited to South Asia and a few other countries. It is an international phenomenon, with terrorists helping out and learning from, each other. Thus international cooperation including intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism operations is vital to crush terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

India does have the resolve to put this dark chapter behind to fight terrorism. Sri Lankans are with Indians at this gloomy hour. We feel your pain and anguish as we have been there ourselves and together, as South Asians, we should not let terror rule our lives.