Tamil Nadu joins central intelligence grid to share info on terror

Tamil Nadu has become "one of the first few states" to implement a Central initiative to strengthen internal security post 26/11 terror attacks by setting up a round the clock intelligence centre to ensure "seamless flow" of inputs with the IB.
    
"It is part of the national intelligence grid which will function 24x7 and 365 days. And I am sure we are one of the first few states to establish Subsidiary Multi-Agency Centre (SMAC)," M S Jaffar Sait IG Intelligence said.
    
A DSP heading a dedicated Special Branch-CID will man the control room of SMAC fitted with state-of-the-art facilities, including video conferencing.

"It is now connected to (the national grid) Delhi. The aim is to ensure seamless flow of intelligence with Intelligence Bureau (IB) on security between Centre and state," he said.
   
SMAC provides high-speed connectivity for online transfer of voice and data. Any threat perception will be analysed in detail and communicated to New Delhi, he said, adding the focus will be on coastal areas and internal security.
    
Tamil Nadu police has already put in place a multi-agency security mechanism following Mumbai terror attacks to thwart any attempts by militants to carry out sea borne strikes.

With the onus of securing a 1,076 km long coastline, the state police, in coordination with Coast Guard and Navy, has tightened security to thwart "perceptional threats" by Jehadi groups, as well as Sri Lankan militant outfits.

The security agencies in Tamil Nadu say they are not taking chances despite the LTTE's defeat in May this year.
    
They have stepped up coastal vigilance following threat perception that some religious fundamentalist groups like Jamat-ud-Dawa, a front organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba, had forayed into Sri Lanka, prompting formation of special teams to face the new challenges.

The Tamil Nadu police was quick to check its preparedness to face such sea-borne attacks, when it recently organised the multi-agency "Operation Barricade", involving fishermen as the first line of information, besides Coast Guard, Navy and IB.

According to the officials, besides strengthening intelligence networking, police are also forming Quick Reaction Teams (QRT) in districts and putting in new Standard Operating Procedures to deal with any eventuality.
   
The state also emerged as a major security hub of the South, as the National Security Guard (NSG) established one of its centres in Chennai to tackle any major terror incident in the region.