India, US to talk city terror prevention, Rana trial

By Uttara Choudhury New York: This week is shaping up to be full of real or perceived pinpricks for Pakistan. First of all, the curtain goes up on the Tahawwur Hussain Rana trial in Chicago with opening statements on Monday where a finger may be pointed at the Inter Services Intelligence’s (ISI’s) role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The US Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano jets into India on a four-day visit starting on Tuesday to hold security talks aimed at curbing terrorist attacks, particularly on India’s mega-cities. Napolitano will kick-off her four-day India visit on 24 May by exchanging notes in Mumbai with top cops from eight Indian cities including Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad  and Mumbai. Everything from dealing with hostage crisis, to creating better IED detection systems will be on the agenda. [caption id=“attachment_13789” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will reach India on 24 May to discuss about better security measures of major Indian cities. Hyungwon Kang/Reuters”]  [/caption] According to experts, America has been quite successful in using the advanced XPAK bomb detection system in Iraq and Afghanistan, to quickly detect trace levels of conventional high-explosives, including TNT, DNT, Tetryl, RDX, C-4, PE-4, PETN, Semtex and nitroglycerin. India may be interested in the latest American bomb detection devices for smashing clandestine terrorist bomb-making facilities. The US delegation headed by Napolitano will also hold talks in New Delhi on 27 May with Indian officials led by Union Home Minister P Chidambaram. A government official said the security talks will focus on “best practices in mega city policing, protection of big cities against terrorist attacks, the technology you need for this, the sharing of intelligence, increasing forensics capability and training for security personnel”. India and the US will also discuss ways to coordinate counter-terrorism and improve law enforcement cooperation between the two countries. The Rana trial will also be discussed in New Delhi, said Indian and US officials involved in organizing Napolitano’s visit. The talks, mooted during President Barack Obama’s visit to India in November, basically build on a counterterrorism initiative signed by the two countries last July.