JOIN USNational Security Advisor Ajit Doval is carrying out a discrete parallel inquiry into the January 2 Pathankot terror strikes to identify loopholes and fix accountability in the national security grid response.
Though the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is officially handling the investigations over the biggest terror strike on a defence installation, sources said Doval has assembled a special team drafting in officials from the intelligence agencies for his inquiries.
The team had been to Pathankot air base where they interacted with local police, National Investigation Agency and Air Force personnel to analyse the terror plot planned and carried out by Jaish-e-Mohammad with the help of the ISI, said government sources.
The NSA’s team suspects an insider job that helped the fidayeen breach the security at the Pathankot Air Force station by scaling through a boundary wall.
It questioned air force personnel in charge of security at the base to ascertain the presence of a Pakistani mole who could possibly have helped the JeM meticulously plan and launch the attack, contained after three days of gun battle with the terrorists by NSG’s specialised anti-hijacking Black Cat commandos.
NSA’s exercise would give Doval a third-party assessment of the assault, offering him a clearer idea of glitches in input analysis and response management, government sources explained.
Even the NIA suspects leakage of information by an insider at the Western Command Base and has been conducting forensic examination of evidences such as the shoes the five Jaish terrorists wore to the attack and details of calls that may point to the spy.
Though Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed warned of more Pathankot style attacks two days ago, strategic military establishments have been audited for enhanced security.