Close cooperation among intelligence agencies post 26/11: FBI

Lalit K Jha

Washington, Feb 24 (PTI) After the terror attacks in
Mumbai there has been an unprecedented level of co-operation
between various intelligence agencies of the world including
those from India, Britain, the US and Pakistan, America's top
intelligence official has said.

"Even before the crisis ended, the investigation had
begun," FBI Director Robert Muller said Monday while
delivering a speech on FBI's role in global terrorism at the
Council on Foreign Relations.

"Agents from FBI offices in New Delhi and Islamabad
joined forces with Indian government, the CIA, the State
Department, MI-6 and New Scotland Yard," he said.

Through these partnerships, Muller said: "We had
unprecedented access to evidence and intelligence. Agents and
analysts conducted more than 60 interviews, including that of
the lone surviving attacker.

"Our forensic specialists pulled fingerprints and DNA
from improvised explosive devices," he said. FBI agents
recovered data from damaged cell phones and in one case by
literally wiring a smashed phone back together.

"At the same time, we collected, analysed, and
disseminated intelligence to our partners at home and abroad,
not only to determine how these attacks were planned and by
whom, but to ensure that if a second wave of attacks was in
the offing, we possessed the intelligence to stop it. Our
work in Mumbai was not out of the ordinary," he said.

"To counter these (terror) threats, we must first
understand them through intelligence. And once we gain an
understanding, our law enforcement authorities allow us to
move against individuals and networks," Muller said.

He also praised the FBI agent in New Delhi who took a
lead role in investigating the Mumbai attack.

"The day before the attacks in Mumbai, Special Agent
Steve Merrill -- our legal attaché in the FBI's New Delhi
office -- was enjoying his first day off in nearly a month,"
he said.

"He (Merrill) was on his way to Jodhpur (Rajasthan) to
play cricket on the US embassy team in the Maharajah's annual
tournament. For the record, you do not need to know how to
play cricket to work in the FBI's New Delhi Office, but it
certainly does not hurt," Murrell said amidst laughter.

"The moment he learned of the attacks, Steve made his
way to Mumbai," he said, adding Merrill immediately made
contact with his Indian counterparts and got to work.

"No red tape, no turf battles; just first responders
working shoulder to shoulder in a time of crisis," he said.

For three days, Mumbai was a blur of gunshots,
explosions, fire and confusion. In the midst of that mayhem,
Steve helped to rescue Americans trapped inside the Taj Hotel,
he set up lines of communication with his FBI and intelligence
community counterparts, and he coordinated the arrival of
FBI's Rapid Deployment Team, Murrell added. PTI