Software industry high on terrorists' target list: Home secretary

[destiny]

Software industry high on terrorists' target list: Home secretary - India - The Times of India

NEW DELHI: India's globally acclaimed software industry is high on the terrorists' target list and sensitive installations like atomic plants and refineries located on the coastline are vulnerable to terror attacks, Union home secretary G K Pillai said on Wednesday.

"We are world leaders in software. But software industry is high on the threat list," Pillai said addressing a conference on 'Challenge of Terrorism to India's Infrastructure and Economy' here.

The home secretary said all software companies in India were now realising this fact and they were taking their own measures to protect themselves.

"And the government is also in partnership with many of the companies making effort to provide adequate security (to foil any attempt by the terrorists to target them)," he said.

Indian software exports have risen from Rs 28,350 crore in 2000-01 to an estimated Rs 216,300 crore in 2008-09. The industry is expected to grow 16 per cent this fiscal and log revenues of USD 60 billion despite the global slowdown.

Pillai said India's western coastline hosting several petroleum and nuclear installations is also vulnerable to terror strikes from the sea route. "Petroleum and nuclear installations located on the western coast are highly vulnerable," he said.

Pillai said steps were being taken to protect country's 7,500 km-long coastline through multi-layered security apparatus. "We have been trying to plug the loopholes in coastal security. There is a series of highly attractive installations on the west coast. No doubt it is still vulnerable," he said.

A good number of nuclear power plants, including Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, are located along the western coast. Six refineries, including Reliance Industries Ltd, are also located along the west coast in places like Jamnagar, Mumbai, Mangalore and Kochi.

The Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, who attacked Mumbai last year, came to the city through the sea route.

Pillai said the government has improved the intelligence gathering mechanism to a great extent during the last one year and the security agencies have successfully neutralised many terrorists who were planning fresh terror attacks.

According to earlier intelligence inputs, Lashkar-e-Taiba was planning to attack two schools -- Doon and Woodstock in Uttarakhand -- and hotels in Goa which are regularly frequented by foreign tourists.

Pillai said state governments have realised that security would soon be a major election issue if they could not provide security to common people and started taking action.

[umairp]

My Question: How do you target an industry? I mean, you can target a building or so, but how can you target an industry?

[New Shivaji]

Originally Posted by umairp

My Question: How do you target an industry? I mean, you can target a building or so, but how can you target an industry?

By targeting the building housing software houses, you are creating fear psychosis as most of the software companies get work from the western world and the west is very paniky about terrorism and which inturn would lead to loss of contracts and the contracts might be moved to other countries.

Hope you got the answer.

[indianrabbit]

I am worried, the reason is that we have not done enough to raise the level of our police forces. Can anyone let me know if they see any policemen with automatic rifle or they still guarding with 303. It is urgently required that all major city police has required firearms and training. Having NSG in Mumbai will mean very little, it is important that response time is less then 1 hour.

[King Julien]

Originally Posted by indianrabbit

I am worried, the reason is that we have not done enough to raise the level of our police forces. Can anyone let me know if they see any policemen with automatic rifle or they still guarding with 303. It is urgently required that all major city police has required firearms and training. Having NSG in Mumbai will mean very little, it is important that response time is less then 1 hour.

Post 26/11, I've seen NO policemen with old rifles in Mumbai, they are carrying AK-47 and INSAS. Amazingly cops carrying these look active with no beer belly , They patrol the streets 24 hours, apparently Its designed in such a way that on any incident reported in control room, these guys will reach in 9 min backed by support from local police station. Mock drills are conducted at malls, railway station etc. They also keep an tab on private security hired by offices and public places etc.

[indianrabbit]

Originally Posted by King Julien

Post 26/11, I've seen NO policemen with old rifles in Mumbai, they are carrying AK-47 and INSAS. Amazingly cops carrying these look active with no beer belly , They patrol the streets 24 hours, apparently Its designed in such a way that on any incident reported in control room, these guys will reach in 9 min backed by support from local police station. Mock drills are conducted at malls, railway station etc. They also keep an tab on private security hired by offices and public places etc.

Thx for information. Do you have any idea about my dear Pune. Is it same there, it has large IT population.

[King Julien]

Originally Posted by indianrabbit

Thx for information. Do you have any idea about my dear Pune. Is it same there, it has large IT population.

Only Magarpatta has proper security, rest is all secured with blessings of Ganpati bappa.

[hindesi]

fk it if they attack my company.. im taking atleast one mofo down.. If im gonna die , im gonna die trying.. kick boxing classes help!

[indianrabbit]

Originally Posted by King Julien

Only Magarpatta has proper security, rest is all secured with blessings of Ganpati bappa.

Magarpatta does not have people with weapons. I guess the politicians are horrible, since there is no attack on Pune, they are not going to do anything.

[destiny]

Terror alert after suicide bombers enter India - India - The Times of India

Terror alert after suicide bombers enter India


NEW DELHI: Kolkata, Mumbai and the national capital, besides Gujarat, have been put on high alert following intelligence inputs that Taliban-trained terrorists have sneaked into these cities to target vital installations. A top Union Home Ministry official today said that Taliban-trained 'fidayeen' (suicide squad) have entered the country to carry out attacks at "specific" installations, including Bhaba Atomic Research Centre, defence establishments among others.

Bombay Stock Exchange, RSS headquarters are also among the likely targets of the "Pashtoon-looking" terrorists, the official said adding that instructions have been issued to lay a tighten security net around these installations.

He said the police forces have been put on high alert following the inputs and efforts are on to nab the terrorists at the earliest.

[Developereo]

Just upload a virus that shows Star Trek p0rn. All work will stop and the entire IT industry will grind to a halt.

Note this applies to all IT people, not just Indian.

[Trisonics]

Originally Posted by Developereo

Just upload a virus that shows Star Trek p0rn. All work will stop and the entire IT industry will grind to a halt.

Note this applies to all IT people, not just Indian.

Suggest you take a crash course on software engineering

[Developereo]

Originally Posted by Trisonics

Suggest you take a crash course on software engineering

Using the words 'crash' and 'software' in the same sentence is redundant.

[shchinese]

india is labeling its seperatists as terrorists.not acceptable at all.

those people seeking independence from india deserve a better go.

[god]

Originally Posted by shchinese

india is labeling its seperatists as terrorists.not acceptable at all.

those people seeking independence from india deserve a better go.

let start with tibet, taiwan and all those who want some rights out the gold cage and want to fly free. Lets make the people of China independent and not the slaves of some communist government.