Clinton’s security blanket readied

MARCH 20: Police and intelligence agencies are pulling out the heavy artillery just four days ahead of US President Bill Clinton's arrival...

int(2)

MARCH 20: Police and intelligence agencies are pulling out the heavy artillery just four days ahead of US President Bill Clinton’s arrival in the city. Apart from a three-tier security ring that will hug the President, 60 platoons of Indian para-military forces and operatives of the Intelligence Bureau and Research and Analysis Wing will comb the city.

The Americans, of course, are taking no chances on the life of the `most important man on earth’ and have dispatched 200 Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to Mumbai. These and other security personnel, who have checked into various hotels under aliases, are concentrating on flushing out foreign mercenaries, particularly those linked to Saudi Arabian billionare and terrorist Osama Bin Laden and agents of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence.

But the Mumbai gangster, albeit lower down on the hierarchy, needn’t feel left out. The special forces have pulled out their fine-tooth combs for them as well, especially those with links in Dubai and Karachi.

Story continues below this ad

Intelligence sources say the US President’s visit may have also created a tsunami in the Mumbai harbour as ships berthed on the west coast opposite the Oberoi Hetel, where Clinton will stay, may be temporarily shunted out. They say his hotel room could be vulnerable to heat-seeking missiles, which can strike with deadly accuracy from even five kilometres away and though US security personnel are equipped with counter-measures, the slightest risk must be eliminated.

Officials of the Mumbai police and National Security Guard (NSG) crack commandos will also watch the President’s every move while some have also planted themselves atop some strategically located buildings to foil snipers planning to take a shy at the President. Says Col M P Choudhary, who has trained the Mumbai police and Special Protection Group commandos: “The Americans do not compromise when it comes to providing security cover to their President after John F Kennedy was shot dead by a sniper in 1962.”

Though it is still not clear what role the National Security Guard (NSG) will play, it is strongly believed that they may also be deployed to foil any terrorist attack. Specialists in anti-terrorist and anti-hijacking operations, they are equipped with an array of sophisticated weapons to hit targets at a distance of 500 yards with sniper rifles.

Their deployment is significant in light of the New Year’s eve seizure ofmissiles from two Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agents at Jogeshwari anf their links with the Kandahar hijacking. There are also intelligence reports that terrorist outfits in Jammu and Kashmir are in possession of missiles that can be launched from rifles at a distance of 500 mt. They are also believed to possess sniper rifles which can have a lethal effect at the distance of 500 yards.

Story continues below this ad

Following are the paramilitary forces deployed for the President’s visit: 40 platoons of the State Reserve Police Force (SRPF), 10 platoons of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 10 platoons of the Rapid Action Force (RAF). The Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Research and Analyis Wing (RAW) operatives are also carrying out round-the-clock surveillance. Besides, 700 mobile vans have also been roped in.