Amit Shah tells security brass to act tough against infiltration

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday directed the country’s top security and intelligence leadership to take strict measures against infiltration as officers discussed the detection and deportation of illegal immigrants, a policy framework to combat cybercrime and proxy warfare by Pakistan. HT ImageShah also asked the officers to use the “trial in absentia” option for fugitives hiding in foreign jurisdictions and to implement the recently formed national counter-terrorism policy. He spoke at the launch of the Intelligence Bureau’s (IB) 9th two-day National Security Strategies (NSS) conference in Delhi, which was attended by all central agencies’ chiefs and around 850 officers from across the country in hybrid mode. “On the first day of the conference, discussions focused on critical aspects of national security, including response to counter-terrorism challenges, fusion, analysis and operationalisation of intelligence through the Multi Agency Centre (MAC), vision document on narcotics control, detection and deportation of illegal migrants, and a policy framework to combat cyber-crime and proxy warfare by Pakistan,” the MHA said in a statement at the end of the first day of the conference. “For effective tackling of terrorism and radicalisation, Shah emphasised on training for implementation of MHA’s Prahaar scheme, expediting trial by bringing back fugitives and using trial in absentia provisions and undertaking comprehensive and integrated approach while investigating UAPA [Unlawful Activities Prevention Act] cases,” the MHA said. Indian agencies are currently launching a trial in absentia under the new Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) for Lashkar-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed in last year’s Pahalgam terror attack case. Shah further “directed all the agencies to take strict measures against infiltration,” MHA said on Monday. The home minister also directed the agencies and police that an AI-based analysis of information available on MAC (multi-agency centre) platforms should be done to create SOPs (standard operating procedures) to counter various national security challenges,” according to the ministry. During the annual NSS conference, Indian intelligence agencies and security forces discuss infiltration, sharing of real-time intelligence against terror groups, dismantling their logistics and funding support networks and other national security issues. It is attended by participants from across the country, including the Union home secretary, deputy national security advisors, heads of central paramilitary forces and other central organisations, director generals of police of states and union territories, as well as young police officers working at the cutting-edge level and domain experts from specialised fields. The second day of the conference, the MHA said, “will focus on the threat landscape from sub-aerial systems and formulating countermeasures, securing the blue economy, information warfare and its implications on national security and the need for a bio-security framework”. Neeraj Chauhan, senior associate editor with the National Political Bureau of Hindustan Times, writes on security, terrorism, corruption, laundering, black money, narcotics, and related policy matters while covering MHA, ED, CBI, NIA, IB, CVC, NHRC, CAG, Income Tax department, etc.Read More