The NCTC

The government on Thursday finally gave its approval to set up a ‘specialized’ anti-terror body, the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which will work as a single-window entity to pool together and collate terror-related intelligence inputs, draw plans to neutralize terror modules and coordinate action among different terror agencies to defuse threats. A core team, comprising the body’s director and other top officials, will be put in place by end-March or early April, completing the counter-terror institutional architecture. Union home minister P Chidambaram had planned the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), a counter-terror entity, after the26/11 strikes. Although the NCTC will work as an “integral” part of the Intelligence Bureau, it will be exclusively focused on counter-terrorism on the lines of specialized anti-terror agencies in the US, the UK, Germany, France, Israel, Russia, China and Japan. As part of the Centre’s post-26/11 blueprint, National Investigation Agency, National Intelligence Grid and NSG hubs designed to facilitate spreading of commandos across the country, have been setup.The NCTC, the remaining piece, was held up because of reservations among certain quarters of the government over its scope. The final design has accommodated the concerns of various wings of the government that were stakeholders in the decision. Asked whether the proposed setup for the NCTC reflected a dilution of his earlier plans, Chidambaram said, “It’s not a comedown. This is a beginning. Eventually, based on our experience, based on what we find our shortcomings, deficiencies or the safeguard that has to be built,it will eventually grow into a kind of organization that I envisaged.” Talking to reporters after the Cabinet Committee on Security gave “in-principle” clearance to the NCTC, the home minister said its function will include drawing up of plans and coordinating all actions, particularly counter terrorism and integrating all the intelligence pertaining to counter terrorism. Chidambaram, who had been pitching for such an agency for about three years, said the core team will be the “nucleus” around which the NCTC will be built.After obtaining the necessary approvals from the department of expenditure and the DoPT, we will begin work on appointing the core team,he said. Spelling out the brief for the NCTC, Chidambaram said the agency will also coordinate with relevant probe and intelligence agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of terror are brought to justice, besides maintaining comprehensive database of terrorists, their associates and supporters. “It will ensure that all agencies have access and receive all intelligence support,” he said, adding it will be under the Intelligence Bureau and report to its director, Union home secretary and the home minister. Chidambaram,however, did not disclose finer details of its functioning. At present, the IB’s anti-terror function is being looked after by the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) that will be subsumed into the NCTC. Sources said that though this anti-terror body would not have an exclusive ‘operation’ wing, it will enroll adequate trained personnel—drawn from NSG, paramilitary forces and state police on deputation—to assist state police in operations against terrorists. In other countries, such a specialized body also carries out ‘covert’ operationsin neutralizing terror modules.
NCTC to be 4th pillar of anti-terror architecture alongside NIA, NSG hubs and Natgrid created after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks
Single window for all terror-related intelligence inputs. Will collate inputs, pass them on as alerts to central\state agencies
NCTC will be an integral part of IB. Headed by senior IPS officer of additional DG or above rank who’ll report to IB chief Director, core team members to be appointed by early April
NCTC won’t have its own investigation wing. Probe into terror-related cases will be done by NIA or state police It won’t have ‘agents’ to collect intelligence on ground. Will depend on IB, RAW, NTRO, MI and state intelligence agencies