November the 26th was perhaps the most baffling and horrendous night of my life. I still remember; I was all tucked in ready to sleep when I was woken up at 2am to the ruthless Mumbai terror attacks. I was stupefied at the intensity of these attacks as I watched the news. Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Orthodox Jewish-owned Nariman House, the Metro Cinema, and a lane behind the Times of India building and St. Xavier's College??
"MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY COULD BE THERE!!!!"
I had no way of contacting them as all the phone lines were jammed. With the death toll ever increasing, I was angry and worried. The Islamic terrorists took the Indian authorities by surprise with their use of sophisticated weaponry and familiarity with modern technology. The act was remarkably planned and lasted for a deadly 60 hour period.
Reports state that the attack was planned using sources like Google Earth as also Internet and Satellite phones.Terrorist organizations today use new media technologies to transmit messages more freely than through other means of communication. The network of computer mediated communication (CMC) has proven to be ideal for terrorists as it is decentralized, it not subjected to any restriction or censorship, and it allows quick access to anyone who wants it.
Terrorists groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Al Quida use CMC for recruitment, training, commanding and controlling focused intra-group communication.
CMC is also used by terrorists groups as a channel through which they express and present their "public face". They establish their identity as a group by specifying group goals and justifying their action, objectives and demands. They also use sites like Twitter, You Tube and Second Life as a medium to propagate new ideas, raise funds and propagate hero-worship of their group’s martyrs. The benefits of "using a mobile phone camera to monitor the enemy and its mechanisms.", the benefits of the Nokia 6210 Navigator, and how its GPS utilities could be used for "marksmanship, border crossings, and in concealment of supplies." - (ABC News)
The main objective of online terrorist groups is to highlight positive issues like freedom of speech and political prisoners. These terrorist groups also use CMC to spread multi-targeted messages, to raise support and understanding among Muslims countries and issue threats. This is done via blogs, bulletin boards and e-mails.
CMC has infiltrated aspects of social life like religion. These terrorists often fight in the name of Religion. The Mumbai terror attacks hold religion as a key factor that initiated this uncalled for brutality.
This leads us to a very basic yet vital question.
How safe is the internet if terrorists are now benefiting from it??
REally nice article...It makes us realize that the internet and its easy accessability should not be taken for granted.We need to wake up and take note of the horrific happenings arround us.SInce there is freedom of media,not much can be done to control such terrorist activities,but concerned individuals esp. the youth should react by probably some counter socials movements thru the net!
ReplyDeleteLife is nothing without freedom, yet freedom is the key to evil....
ReplyDeleteI guess that's the problem with technology moving forward so fast. These breakthroughs in technology define progress but without moderation they fall in the wrong hands. As you well pointed out, this does not provide any censorship and is freely available to anyone who wants to use it.
ReplyDeleteI said something similar, 'Anyone with a gun in their hands get an illusion of power'. Technology will always be misused and we can't change that fact. We cannot take a cellphone away from a 10yr old, neither can we restrict email access to a terrorist. In the end its just boils down to finding a way to defend from technology rather than curb technology
ReplyDeleteI think that we must have better intelligence department in the country as they must have the capability to think from a terrorist point of view and try to use these technology for our defense...More over what happened in mumbai was not only depicted the clever use of technology but also showed that there are many loop holes in our defense system...
ReplyDeleteRather then having debates on how to prevent misuse of technology we must focus on how to improve or inner system and come out with ways to fight the terror.but this article has also showed that those who are making things available on the internet must see to it that the information they are putting is not something secret and is not giving some wrong information.. so its really good to know that by posting such articles the internet is being used as an awakening and as a destruction
The recent terror attack in Mumbai was indeed the worst nightmare that we have faced. We are scaling heights where technology is concerned but the same is not being using for the betterment of mankind. The deep study done by you on the use of CMC by the al- quida has made is easier for me to understand how the terrorist had smoothly planned this gruesome attack. The layman will definitely have a better understanding about how the al-quida operate after reading this blog.
ReplyDeletefirstly...awww that was sooo sweet....
ReplyDeleteok now academically... i am a frequent user of the internet and after the mumbai attacks i dunno how safe it is anymore...im scared that someone somewhere may just know everything about me and use information against me....
as for using technology for our defense...i think the Indian defense system is too laid back... i mean it took them 60 hours to get rid of a handful of terrorists??
for heavens sake!!! they attacked Indias financial capital don't you think they have ought to have a little more security there rite??
Man i think terrorist are so G with they hands always on they glock, and now these G's are using the net. And to think that they can access information and target me just through my cell phone is scary . Although I am all for the advancement in technology, the thought of the same technology that makes my life easier is being used to endanger many other lives leaves me worried. Moreover, the fact that they are spreading their message through sites such as youtube where many naïve minds may be spending their time is scary as the terrorist’s influence may grow. MAN THESE G’s ARE WATCHING YOU!"
ReplyDelete'Thoughtful' yet 'totally scary' piece. lol I perceive the internet to be like a double edged sword. It has both merits and demerits. People often find themselves hooked on to the internet for many reasons as it provides a lot of information and answers to questions that are unknown. There are innumerable plus points with the use of the internet yet just like every other, it is not immune to the negative side. This includes crimes like pornography, rave parties etc which are why the internet is often being termed as 'unsafe'. Your question being 'How safe is the internet if terrorists are now benefiting from it??' Like I said earlier, there are two sides to a coin; it comes with the good and the bad. Technology is such that it can either be served for the better or if utilized or placed in wrong hands, the effects could be devastating like in this case. You didn't underline the fact that even though yes the terrorists do make use of these sites available on the internet, these same sites can be used to track the terrorists down... So I guess we don't really have a choice when it comes to that aspect.. with corruption playing a vital role in today's world things like these are bound to happen. Yet a very controversial subject on Technology!
ReplyDeleteOn November 26th i was actually in Bombay, not to far from where these atrocities. It was one of the scariest moments in my life as thee attacks took place just a short walk from my location. What worried me more was the well being of my family and friends who worked near these locations.
ReplyDeleteThe terrorists today are becoming more and more crafty and are using advanced means of planning attacks. Now the fact that they are spreading their message through such common sites as Youtube and so on, it makes it hard for us to decide what is safe for our kids.
I hope that the Indian Government and the rest of the world, now realizing that terrorist can track others just through a cell phone will take this knowledge and use it to their advantage.