Sleeper cells are a part of the new modus operandi
of terrorist outfits wherein they deliberately break their terror network into
small groups of 4-6 members each to execute a certain aspect of a planned
attack (such as logistics, recruiting, spying, finding etc.). Each cell member
is young, educated, practises a legitimate profession and is often married to
ensure his cover. These homebred terrorists do not hit and run, they simply hit
and diffuse with the local population. Their small size makes their operations
less predictable and their detection more difficult. Terror modules that
perpetrated train/metro massacres in Madrid and London involved local youths
with modern education.
Hundreds of sleeper modules are spread over our
vast country. The clandestine nature of sleeper cells makes traditional
policing almost redundant. The new counter terrorism operations require more
information, intelligence, technology and technique rather than heavy weaponry
or force. The biggest challenge for, any liberal democracy, battling terrorism,
is to stay democratic. Paul Wilkinson says, “Any bloody tyrant can solve the
problem of political violence if he is willing to sacrifice all considerations
of humanity and to trample down all constitutional and judicial rights.” That
is why the civilized world seeks any means to combat terrorism other than
suspension of democratic procedure. Pakistan is not an exception.
Extraordinary laws must be enacted to fight
terrorism and we also need fast-track courts to expedite terrorism related
cases. We also need money laundering act resembling the PATRIOT Act of the USA
by which intelligence agencies have access to all financial institutions
records. We have an act that makes it mandatory for banks to report all
transactions above Rs. 10 lakh to the Financial Intelligence Unit. All banks
have not done that. Government must be stone-hearted on this count. We also,
need to tighten our immigration controls on the lines of the US Immigration and
Naturalization Service Act as local terror modules thrive on the illegal
infiltration of men and material across country’s porous borders.