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Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian national had managed to breach a very serious security layer surrounding the airline industry. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, when airlines were used as civilian missiles, the attempted bombing of a trans-Atlantic flight by shoe bomber Richard Reid and a plot involving the use of liquid explosives, airline security measures have been continuously strengthened.

It is well documented that airlines and the aviation industry have been high on the radar of terror groups worldwide. Hijackings were the order of the day during the late 1970s and 1980s, for they provided the terrorists with much sought television coverage and publicity during the period of the ordeal. Terror attacks on airlines also provided for guaranteed maximum casualties as was witnessed during the unfortunate bombings of the PAN AM flight 103 and the Indian Airline flight 182.

Another reason why the aviation industry is so attractive to terror groups is because of its association with the economic interests of the targeted state. Attacks on the aviation industry can create a ripple effect on related industries including the hospitality industry. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, for example, a number of European airlines had to be bailed out by the government owing to increased insurance costs and surcharges to provide modifications to the airlines for security features.

India has strong reason to look with greater concern towards the developments in airline security. Terrorists are as intent on attacking India, as they are on attacking the west. The hijacking of the Flight IC814 in December 1999 was the result of a lacuna which existed in airline security. A lacuna which was not addressed till the 9/11 attacks that mandated the strengthening of cockpit doors among other measures.

Terrorists of another generation were intent on publicizing their messages on live television and other mediums. Modern day terrorists are not averse to laying down their lives and are willing to forsake live interactions for propagation of their message through video wills disseminated through the internet.

Modern technology has made the ability of terrorists to plot sophisticated attacks all that much easier. Advances in technology have been combined with ingenuity to bypass traditional security norms which govern an area. As a direct consequence of terrorists being unable to access the cockpit and maneuver a plane to their destination, they have adopted an alternative tactic - blowing up the plane itself.

While India has taken a number of globally accepted norms in strengthening aviation security, in the aftermath of IC-814 and 9/11 attacks, the question remains as to whether we have exhausted the plethora of unconventional possibilities. As mentioned, terrorists are adopting newer and unique standards to attack their targets. The ingenuity shown by terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, who chose to smuggle themselves through the sea, indicates the continued resilience of a group to revisit their targets through any means possible.

This is a landmark feature of al Qaeda, which returns to its target and improvises on it. Al Qaeda, for example, did not give up on its plans to topple the World Trade Centre, an operation which was botched during its 1993 attempt. Similarly, al Qaeda’s plans of simultaneously blowing up eleven airliners in 1995 indicated its earliest interest in the aviation security.

Attempts to bring down an Israeli airliner in Kenya in 2002 using a Surface to Air Missile (SAM) rocket, is another indication of how terrorists are becoming ingenious in their plots against airlines. The casualty caused by downing an airliner carrying among others eminent personalities, would be beyond economic costs. Has India contemplated this scenario in its counter-terrorism briefings?

In another incident which complicates matters for security personnel, was the attempted suicide assassination of the Saudi Deputy Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, wherein the bomber flew in from Yemen to meet him. The bomber managed to conceal the bomb in his anal cavity throughout the journey, bypassing layers of security checks before being allowed onto the plane.

The plot by Abdulmutallab involved the use of a Syringe and an explosives mixture of PETN hidden in his underwear. It would have been impossible to detect the bomb apparatus through traditional security screening measures. The only way it would arouse the suspicions of security personnel would be through a chemical detection test or a full body scan. This can be achieved without intrusion through modern day technology.

The costs and logistics involved in implementing measures which can prevent the above mentioned plots are high. It is however essential to strengthen safety measures for we are repeatedly reminded that terrorists are going out of their way to ensure their macabre activities are successful.

A further investment for security agencies would be to train professional screeners at airports. This is a tactic adopted most successfully by the Israeli security agencies. Passenger screening and profiling, if done properly can help identify suspects and significantly reduce the probability of terrorists attempting to board an airplane.

Keeping in mind the consistent threats against India, it would be wise to adopt these measures for the Indian security agencies.