With the threat of increased Cyber terrorism on the wake of the US
crusade against the Talibans, the need for international cooperation in
Cyber patrolling as well as Cyber Crime prevention has assumed greater
importance.
India has been trying to lead its own crusade against global terrorism
which has now been hijacked by USA. With die-hard opposition politicians
like Mr Sitaram Yechuri and controversy seeking media like Star News, any
Indian attempt to tackle Terrorism evokes disproportionate criticism and
dampens the enthusiasm of the well meaning politicians and law enforcement
authorities. Even if no political motive is contemplated by the Government
the opposition and the media will ensure that politics is brought into
every decision of the Government for combating terrorism. However, enterprising
ministers such as Mr Pramod Mahajan may be counted on taking every such
criticism as a challenge and re double their efforts to reach the chosen
goal.
While Mr Jaswant Singh therefore takes a trip round the world to keep
India at the center of the anti terrorism drive, there is a task cut out
for Mr Pramod Mahajan to take the lead in rallying around a global cooperation
in tackling Cyber terrorism.
India has been at the receiving end of minor Cyber attacks from the
sympathizers of the Kashmiri cause. The attacks are not only in the form
of hacking and defacing of key web sites, but running web sites such as
dalitstan.org and hindusim.org, about which naavi.org has raised its voice
time and again. These are sites that are promoting hatred, religious divide
and division of the country. Unfortunately the attempts of naavi.org to
draw the attention of the Government on these Cyber terrorist activities
have fallen on deaf ears so far.
We once again urge the Indian Government not to neglect the effect that
these kinds of sites may have on the indoctrination of young minds with
thoughts of hatred and will. Just as there is a need to hunt down the terrorist
training camps, there is a need to hunt down the web sites that sow the
seeds of Cyber terrorism.
About an year back India had set up an IT Task force with Singapore
to promote cooperation in various fields including e-commerce and E-Governance.
This Indo-Singapore task force can be the starting point to start mobilizing
world opinion on Counter Cyber terrorism strategies. Unfortunately this
task force does not appear to be focussing on Cyber crimes at present.
We not only need cooperation in tackling Cyber crimes but also develop
strategies to monitor the web to track terrorist communication, funds transfer
and other activities.
We suppose that Mr Pramod Mahajan will take the lead in setting up an
Anti Cyber Terrorism taskforce in India and develop into a global force.
Naavi
September 30, 2001.
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Report
on the first meeting of the Indo-Singapore task force
Report
on July meeting of the task force
