NSG studies London, Europe terror attacks, commandos train to tackle lone wolf threat
NSG commandos are training to be prepared for lone wolf terror attacks. The intelligence agencies have warned that terror outfits may adopt new methods to carry out attacks in India.
The National Security Guard (NSG) commandos may have been out of action for some time but not out of practices. The counter-terror force is looking at new global challenges in Indian perspective.
The NSG commandos are being trained to deal with "Lone Wolf Attacks". Sources in the force said that the real danger was from lone wolf attacks, including the recent global trend of "trucks mowing down innocent civilians."
Though in each of the incidents, terrorists have either been neutralised or contained in Europe. In Indian context, the black cats are training to deal with such attacks taking into consideration the specific setting of the country.
The counter terror force has trained with commandos of several countries. Sources said that a study was conducted on the recent terror attacks in France, Germany and also the London Tube explosion to understand the latest techniques used by terror outfits.
LONE WOLF ATTACKS IN EUROPE
Earlier in June this year, a terror suspect calling himself a "soldier of the caliphate" attacked a policeman on patrol outside Notre-Dame cathedral in the heart of Paris. He was armed with a hammer and two knives as he shouted, "This is for Syria".
On 14 July 2016, Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel drove a truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France killing 86 people.
On December 19, 2016, a truck was deliberately driven into the Christmas market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, Germany leaving 12 people dead and 56 others injured. The NSG commandos are being given training to deal with similar terror attacks.
TERROR ALERT IN INDIA
The national capital Delhi has been put on high alert following inputs about a possible lone wolf-attack by a terror outfit earlier this year. A machete attack or truck mowing down is serious possibility, say the intelligence agencies.
"Since this is a global trend, we are developing our own technique. We are also using our association with the forces that have dealt with similar attacks effectively. Also with several arrests of ISIS recruits and a recent arrest of Al Qaeda operative have only made the resolve of the force stronger," a source privy to information said.
Training of the NSG commandos has been diversified given the varying climatic and weather conditions of different parts of the country. The NSG is also working with its counterpart in Japan to learn their methods of operating in an emergency situation.