Threat to offshore rigs: another 26/11 planned?

Agencies

New Delhi, 22 June 2011: The Intelligence Bureau has warned of a new terror plot -- to turn ships into deadly bombs, but no lessons appear to have been learnt from the Mumbai attacks.

Vital off shore installations are under threat as Intelligence agencies had intercepted a specific threat just days after the audacious attack on Pakistan’s Mehra Naval base.

But multiple coastal security agencies have only led to more confusion on jurisdiction.

A couple of days after the audacious terror attack on Pakistan’s Mehran Naval Base, India’s Intelligence Bureau alerted all ports about a Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed plot to target India’s off-shore installations by detonating explosive laden ships.

- Over 150 Indian oil rigs are potential targets

- Off-shore oil rigs potential terror targets

- More importantly, this plot could also target India’s little known, Single Point Moorings or SPMs.

SPMs are off-shore floating installations where crude oil carriers of upto 300 lakh tons capacity, load and unload oil, supplying on-shore facilities through pipelines on the seabed. An explosion here would be catastrophic, affecting even the on-shore facilities.

There are at least 12 such SPMs with 10 off the Gujarat coast and one each off Kochi and Paradeep.

- 10 SPMs off Gujarat Coast - Jamnagar (5), Vadinar (4) and Kandla (1)

- 1 SPM each off Kochi and Paradeep

In fact, another similar intelligence alert was also sent out on June 10 but there is complete confusion among the multiple coastal security agencies like the Coastguard, CISF and the port authorities, as to who is supposed to guard these SPMs.

Even a high level home ministry meeting just a month after 26/11 had asked the Coastguard to secure the Single Point Moorings.

Blame game over SPMs

- But the Coastguard says, since the SPMs fall within port limits, port security should guard them.

- While THE CISF, which is responsible for port security says it’s ill-equipped to carry out off-shore patrolling, especially during the monsoons.

- And the local police is helpless, due to lack of training.

One can only hope this shocking confusion among our coastal security agencies is sorted out before terrorists exploit it.