National counter-terrorism strategy is need of the hour: CTD chief

A national counter-terrorism strategy is the need of the hour along with the implementation of the National Action Plan, said the chief of the Sindh Counter-Terrorism Department Sanaullah Abbasi.

Speaking to The News on Sunday, CTD Additional Inspector General Police Abbasi, who is currently heading the high-level probe team investigating the fake encounter of Naqeebullah Mehsud by former Malir SSP Rao Anwar, said that before even starting the discussion on a counter-terrorism strategy, it was important to know the nature of the terrorist threat facing the country, its strategic intent and objectives as well as the structure of terror outfits.

According to Abbasi, poverty, corruption, religious conflict and ethnic strife were the underlying conditions that create opportunities for terrorists to exploit people who may be led into believing that terror is the legitimate means to address such conditions and bring political change.

He said borders can sometimes be a boon for terrorists because open borders can provide access to safe havens – safe houses, training grounds, communication and financial networks. Speaking about the changing nature of terrorism, Abbasi said that banned organisations are utilising modern technology such as cellular and satellite phones, encrypted emails, internet chat rooms, videotapes and CDs and are also using media to project their message worldwide.

Terrorists are also raising funds through front businesses, drug trafficking, credit card fraud, extortion and money from covert supporters transferred through hawala – an informal money transfer system, he said, adding that they also use charitable organisations and non- governmental organisations for funding and recruitments.

He added in the modern interconnected world, terrorists work together in funding, sharing intelligence, training, logistics, planning and executing attacks. While some organisations may be local, operating in only one country or region, there may also be others that operate in several countries such as Al Qaeda which has presence in 60 countries, Abbasi said.

These organisations are linked together in two ways. They operate directly by sharing intelligence, personnel, expertise, resources and safe havens, and indirectly by promoting the same ideological agenda and reinforcing as force-multiplier to each other’s efforts to cultivate a favourable international image for their “cause”, he said.

Fighting the menace

According to the Addl IGP, there is a “4D strategy” to fight terrorism: defeat terrorist organisations by attacking their sanctuaries, leadership, command, control, communications, material support, and finances; deny support and sanctuaries to terrorists by other states; diminish the underlying conditions that terrorists seek to exploit and defend one’s citizens and interests at home and abroad.

The goal of a counter-terrorism strategy, he said, is to defeat terrorists and their organisations through direct or indirect use of diplomatic, economic, information, law enforcement, military, financial, intelligence and other instruments of power. It is also to prevent the growth of new organisations, target the individuals, state sponsors and transnational networks that enable terrorism to flourish.

The best way to defeat terrorism is to isolate and localise its activities and then defeat it through intensive, sustained action, the Sindh CTD chief said.

Abbasi said that the objective of national counter-terrorism strategy should be to identify militants and militant organisations operating at home and abroad with the help of the law-enforcement community and locate them with the help of the intelligence community in order to put an end to them.

This, he said, is possible with an offensive strategy meant to eliminate the capabilities that allow terrorists to exist and operate. This strategy would include attacking their sanctuaries, leadership, command, control, communications, material support and finances, and then capturing, detaining and prosecuting known and suspected terrorists.

The strategy would also choke off the lifeblood of terrorist groups – their access to territory, funds, equipment, training, technology, and unimpeded transit, which will weaken their ability to conduct operations, he said.

Abbasi said the national strategy should be to adopt a “zero tolerance” policy for terrorist activity within and outside our borders, to establish and maintain an international standard of accountability with regard to combating terrorism. He added it should include suppressing and freezing terrorist financing, prohibiting nationals from financially supporting terrorists, denying safe havens and taking steps to prevent the movement of terrorists.

The CTD chief said that working with states willing to combat terrorism like China and enabling weak states like Afghanistan through improved legislation, technical assistance, new investigative techniques, intelligence sharing and law-enforcement training to do so would also go a long way in countering terrorism.

He added that efforts should be made to resolve regional disputes, foster economic, social, and political development, market-based economies, good governance and the rule of law as well as to support democratic values and promote economic freedom.

Abbasi said in order to win the “war of ideas” that terrorists flaunt, a national strategy should make it clear that all acts of terrorism are illegitimate and ensure that ideologies that promote terrorism do not find fertile ground in the nation.

Speaking about defending citizens and protecting national interests, the CTD chief said that the aim of the national counter-terrorism strategy should be to protect the country’s populace, property and interests as well its democratic principles.

This can be achieved through continuous law enforcement, intelligence community, and military pursuit of terrorist organisations to disrupt their ability to execute attacks. “To reduce vulnerability by increasing our physical and cyber protection and awareness, it requires a coordinated and focused effort from entire society, the federal, provincial, local governments, the private sector and the people,” he said.

Abbasi said that to implement the strategy it is necessary to have effective knowledge of all activities or events that could threaten the country’s security and to have this knowledge available as early as possible to determine the best course of action.

He called for the setting up of a Terrorist Threat Integration Centre to facilitate interagency, intergovernmental and private information sharing. There should be an efficient transportation, logistic and information system in place to face an eventuality, said Abbasi.