Terrorist Bull's Eye on India: A Threat to the West : Guest Blog by Dr. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin

November 26, 2008

[Dr. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin is an expert criminal profiler who has studied and investigated serial killers for over 20 years. At the request of police agencies around the world, Dr. Schurman-Kauflin has profiled hundreds of serial murders, aberrant sex crimes, sadistic murders, serial rapes, stalking, abductions, and other unusual cases. Visit Dr. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin's Website at: www.drdsk.com]

November 26, 2008, it has been reported that terrorists have struck at 7 sites in India. Gunmen have attacked targets which include hotels in Mumbai. At least 20 people are dead. This brings a very important threat to light. In my book Disturbed: Terrorist Behavioral Profiles,  I discussed this risk in the conclusion section because based on what I have seen, India is at a great risk.

Israel, Russia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Spain, U.K.,  United States, and so many oher countries face the growing threat of terrorism. And then there is India. Interestingly, India has seen a dramatic increase in these crimes.  As the years have passed, India has argued with Pakistan over Kashmir.  As a result, terror attacks within India have risen.  Some say that Pakistan is behind the attacks which have rocked the fast growing country.  There is a jihad against Hindus in Kashmir, and this carries to India.  Radical Muslims are angered by many things about Hindus.  One, they are descendants of a Jewish tribe.  Second, they are considered idolaters because they worship the cow.  And of course, Muslims feel persecuted in India because of their religion.  The anger can carry over and produce violent attacks.

Abu Salem was involved in the 1993 Mumbai bombings which killed 278 victims.  These bombings were attributed to revenge against the killings of hundreds of Muslims by the Hindu Shiv Sena political party (BBC, 2005).  Muslims felt that they were being treated unfairly and even thrown off sports teams due to their allegiance to Islam.  Specifically, Mohammad Azharuddin was fired from his position of captain of the Cricket team.  Additionally, Muslims were angry because Hindus would not allow Muslims to be elected to power positions.  There is still anger between lower cast Indians and the Muslims who have been flocking into India with oil money (Ashraf, 1999). 

In 2005, terrorists blew up a Janpur commuter train and killed 13 victims.  Similarly, October 29, 2005, terrorists set off several bombs in New Dehli killing 61 victims.  In March 2006, terrorists blew up Varanasi which is the Hindu holy city.  In the multiple bombings, 28 people were killed and over 100 injured.  Within four months, another series of bombings targeted commuter trains again in Mumbai.  At least 209 people were killed and over 700 victims were harmed.  This particular attack was linked to al-Qaeda which was said to fund the attack.  Mohammad Atta, the leader of the martyrs who carried out the 9/11 terrorist attacks trained with 3 men who were involved in the Mumbai attack (South Asian Intelligence Review, 2006).  And the bombings continued as the terrorists returned to a religious target and set off a bomb at a Hindu temple close to Imphal.  Nearly 50 people were wounded and 5 were killed. 

The next attack occurred on September 8, 2006, terrorists targeted a Muslim cemetery in Malegaon during Shab-e-Baraat.  Shab-e-Baraat is a very holy night in Islam when Muslims travel to the cemetery to pray for their ancestors.  The three bombs (rigged to bicycles) killed 37 people.

In August 2007, there were simultaneous bombings at Hyderabad killing 44 and injuring 54.  On October 14th, a bomb went off at the Shingar Cinema and killed 6 people.  Government officials blame Islamic extremists and suggest that the extremists want to exacerbate relations between Muslims and Hindus. Again, Pakistan's involvement is questioned. 

In May 2008, several, serial bombs went off in Jaipur which is a tourist area.  The 8 bombs killed 80 and injured over 200 victims.  These bombings took place in the state Rajasthan beginning at 7:30 p.m.  and lasted approximately 12 minutes.  Rajashtan is where the Bharatiya Janata Party rules.  It has been argued that this group leans toward the Muslim minority who live in Rajasthan. This is seen as pandering and thus allowing extremism to grow (CNN, 2008). 

On July 25, 2008, nine bombs exploded and killed 2 people in Bangalore.  The very next day, 16 bombs went off and killed 18 people in Ahmedabad.  Then in September 2008, another series of bombs went off.  The Indian Mujahedeen stated that they were the ones who let off the 6 bombs which have killed 18 and injured 40 in New Delhi. 

In one year, India was only second behind Iraq in the number of terror attacks.  There are several terror groups, and these groups have even cooperated to inflict more damage.  This has caused great problems for India because its Intelligence had long focused on one group at a time.  With many groups being active, India’s problems are bound to increase, particularly with the lack of cooperation between government agencies.  Islamic extremists continually try to stoke the flames of anger between Hindu and Muslim by targeting religious sites.  Terror groups operating include:

• Unnamed: Indian terrorists with no open affiliation
• SIMI: Students' Islamic Movement of India
• Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (Bangladeshi militants)
• LeT: Lashkar-e-Taiba
• JeM: Jaish-e-Muhammed (Pakistan based group)

I put this information in the conclusion because India is a country to watch.  It faces many difficulties in dealing with its increasing threat.  Because the country is friendly with the West, it is vulnerable.  Many companies outsource work to India.  These jobs include everything from computer programming and design, to architecture, to radiology.  With such sensitive data and the social problems caused by Kashmir, India will be a growing target in the future.  As a nuclear power with a massively growing economy, there are security issues that will be ignored or overlooked.  This presents a grave danger.  Very few restrictions are put into place when employees are hired in India.  Screenings are minimal at best.  The potential to sabotage is high.   It will have a growing bull’s eye on its infrastructure because of its rich access to Western countries.  If any well organized terror group decides to go after India, many countries face devastating impacts.   India is at high risk.

Photo Credits: Dr. Deborah Schurman-Kauflin: Violent Crimes Institute, LLC; Terrorist: iStock

Comments

[David Nordell]

I don't know where you get the idea that the Hindus are descendants of a Jewish tribe, are even that this is a commonly held belief among Indian Muslims. I suspect you are getting confused with the Pathans in Afghanistan, who almost are descendants of one of the so-called Lost Tribes -- but they are Muslims.

However, there are two key issues that will continue to increase the likelihood of extremist Muslim terrorism in India, quite apart from the territorial dispute over Kashmir. One is that radical Hinduism, which is in itself very hostile to Islam and Muslims, continues to play a major role in Indian politics; and Indian Muslims are the innocent victims of this movement's violence. The other is that India has over the last few years become a close strategic ally of Israel, both in counter-terrorism issues and in more conventional weaponry and training.

You should also remember that India has been the victim of other terrorist movements that had nothing at all to do with radical Islam, in particular the Sikh and Naxalite separatist movements.

I'm not suggesting that radical Islam should be underestimated as a motivating and organisational force for terrorism in India, but you should be careful not to oversimplify the true picture.

[Renato]

There has to a law to fight terrorism. And that is, who ever commit an act of terrorism to innocent civilians will have their whole clan abolished. We have to think out of the box to fight this scourge. This is a extreme price to pay for an extreme act. I guarantee they will think twice before they act on it, if their whole clan will be abolished.

[bob sudhoff]

I read this information and could understand what the doctor was saying. Mostly when I watch the news they talk about these terrorists in terms which most people do not understand. Thanks to Dr. Deborah for explaining what seems to be a recipe for further disaster in the world. Would Dr. Deborah be interested in becomming part of a task force worldwide to identify roots of terrorism and finding ways to stop the fanatics before they kill more innocents? We had better use our experts on this matter to protect all of us. And shouldn't these overseas 4 star hotels have terrorist consultants to prevent our citizens from being attacked when they are in these countries? It seems like out government is hit and miss on security and we better pay attention now even though our economy is in the tank.
Bob Sudhoff

[Renee Graham]

I am shocked by what happened at the Tajj in India. I am so upset and an praying for the families. I wanted to know if I could ask Dr. Schurman-Kauflin a question? She said India was the country to watch, and then this happened. I'm so upset, I worry about our country. Does she know what might happen next?

[cb]

That was an interesting perspective by Doctor Kauflin and also David Nordell , who appears to have some credentials himself, regarding these matters.

The violence playing out all over the globe is terrifying. It's unfortunate when any group distorts the original intent or dogma of their religion to impose it's belief systems on others, to otherwise oppress them, or to justify carnage of the innocent in retaliation for their government's real or perceived mistreatment. You can see that all in all types of religion , where the regional cultures & mores impact the group's interpretation of religious doctrine to such an extreme degree, that it may include shedding blood. I'm guessing that , as Mr. Nordell stated, some of the groups who may have been / felt repressed eventually rise to the level of warfare or terrorism. This is not to say that I believe that their acts are justified in any manner. But a complete perspective is always more illuminating. My sympathies are with all of the people that suffer loss and horror.

For the US' part in the acceleration of terrorist acts, worldwide, I think that it was dangerous/ counterproductive act that our outgoing administration, invoked (a Christian) God against the terrorists . It likely fanned those flames, and strengthened the extremists' notion of a religious holy war.

I certainly don't have any answers. I am new to educating myself about these Indian groups and their history. My hope is that The US does not decide to get involved militarily in India on any large scale. We are stretched so far with troops battling two existing wars , while our country's financial infrastructure is essentially being held together by glue through loans from China.

"With many groups being active, India’s problems are bound to increase, particularly with the lack of cooperation between government agencies."

For this quote, I ask, what can or will be done within India to better coordinate the efforts of these agencies? Why are they not cooperating?

"Many companies outsource work to India. These jobs include everything from computer programming and design, to architecture, to radiology. With such sensitive data and the social problems caused by Kashmir, India will be a growing target in the future. As a nuclear power with a massively growing economy, there are security issues that will be ignored or overlooked. This presents a grave danger. Very few restrictions are put into place when employees are hired in India. Screenings are minimal at best. The potential to sabotage is high. It will have a growing bull’s eye on its infrastructure because of its rich access to Western countries. If any well organized terror group decides to go after India, many countries face devastating impacts. India is at high risk."

To this quote, and I preface my opinion by indicating that I am not a subscriber to jingoism, but perhaps the US companies should reconsider/stop outsourcing any employment to India , where any information of a sensitive nature could be co-opted. This might have a two-fold effect, security of data would be reined in, and perhaps jobs within the US, vs outsourcing to India could help refuel the US economy....?

[dan pierron]

This terrorism attack in India may be the start of attacks worldwide. Can Dr.Kauflin work with our state department on the terrorism situation? She predicted this would happen in India. She is obviously an expert on terrorism. Where were our government officials who should have known this? They better hire her, especially to make sure she explains to them how to prevent attacks here in the usa. If one is coming and they ignore her warnings, the whole group need to be fired and get new blood in there who has stucied this and knows what's going on. Government: Listen to Dr. Kauflin. Now.

[dan pierron]

For God's sake it just came on the news that Americans were signaled out and killed, an american jewish couple were murdered. To government: Get Dr. Kauflin on your team and protect US citizens now. Sounds like our government is dropping the ball on security. Who is in charge. Will this only change with a new president? We need people who can do a 'real study' on this, not bureaucrats who were probably all enjoying their days off for Thanksgiving. Get Dr. Kauflin on the job for us NOW!!!!!!

[Dave Moore S-55]

Refreshing - and many people live in the denial stage as the action stage requires work and fluid follow-up on-going. The wisdom has far reaching effects and is needed more today than every to say ahead! Great Job Thanks!

[Mike King]

I am sadened that again Jewish people are being killed, and for what? The bloodshed must stop.My family was planning a trip to India, tellme now why I should go? I also not aware that Hindus came from a Jewish tribe, but I guess she means the madmen who hold these beliefs. They believe crazy things. We are never going to get away from these murdering madmen until everyone understands that they mean to kill us all. Why after all this time do peopel not understand? I enjoyed this article, keep it up.

[verde]

Mike,
Maybe now Obama will see he can't be weak with these evil people. Jews are going to be persecuted all over the globe if we don't stop the terrorists.

[Searching4TheLost]

India's trouble with terrorism is a multi-faceted one, and not new. With many splinter groups operating in different regions of the country, it is hard to count the number of terrorist and extremist groups active at any given time. Certainly the Kashmir issue has lead to terrorist attacks, costing untold numbers of lives.

However, the disparity between social classes and the different ethnic and religious groups within the country also lead to violent terrorist activities. The Naxalites first began their uprisings in the late 60's, and were nearly quashed a decade later. They continue to thrive though, with several thousand members, and use violence to "help the landless poor, the lower castes and the tribal people of India".

The Student Islamic Movement of India, originally founded to promote the teaching of Islam, began to get increasingly violent toward the end of the last decade. The "Army of the Pure" is a militant arm of a Pakistani based religious organization which operates in India, targeting Hindus.

Added to this, as the author states, India has now become a central place for many companies in different countries to outsource many services. With little security in place to vet employees, those companies easily can be seen as a prime target to wreak havoc on Western nations.

And to top it all off, India does not currently have an anti-terror law. Up until 2004, they had one, but it was highly criticized by human rights groups and was repealed. It has yet to be replaced.

The solutions for India's terrorist problems are not easy ones. It is not going to be a "one-size fits all" answer. The answers lie in addressing ethnic concerns, balance of wealth, extreme poverty in areas and other centuries old issues. Military power alone cannot and will not solve these issues. It will take strong leaders, years of sitting down at the bargaining tables and hard work on the economy.

I hope to see some of the solutions enacted before too many more innocent lives are lost. Approximately 2800 people died in 2006 due to terrorist acts in India. That is far too many.

[Mike King]

Verde: I doubt it. I don't think that knew what he was getting into. Maybe now he will see these people want to kill us all.. I have such anger that again and again the Jewish people made targets. I heard the mumbai terrorists tortured the Jews,a nd why is it no one talks of this?

[Mike King]

Searching4TheLost:

Why is it these human rights groups get away with this? They rpeal the anti-terror laws for what? People are dying and these groups complain of human rights? Why are they on the terrorist side?

[Searching4thLost]

Mike King:
Human rights groups are always interested interested in the rights of the individuals. The question always comes down to does the right of the individual trump the right of the masses? I don't know the answer, but it is one that we have faced in the US also in dealing with terrorists, with the Patriot Act.

[dave young]

I am a little annoyed at the political correctness still going on in this world when murderers torture and kill. They are vermin, nothing more and vermin just be exterminated. Only when the rest of the world develops courage and determination will these people be 'put down'. We keep sending billions of dollars to countries like PAKISTAN and they hate us. We cannot buy peace but those in power keep trying. India needs to find out who did this, who sponsored them, and kill them all.

[Sharon]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Sharon

[Sharon]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Sharon

[Alessandra]

I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don't know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.

Alessandra

[Chris]

That was a VERY interesting read. Thanks Dr. Schurman-Kauflin. I hope to read more of your work in the future.

[BM]

Excellent write-up on providing value to readers.