Indian Defence Review

The US Army intelligence agencies are of the opinion that Twitter might also be used by terrorists and insurgents for surveillance, command and control and targeting of the US forces. This social networking service is among a number of new communications technologies and is expected to be turned against the US troops. An open source intelligence team discovered Internet forums where terrorists log in to discuss ways the global positioning capabilities of cell phones can be used to pinpoint the US troop positions, and how cell phone cameras can be used for surveillance and directing attacks.20

The trends over the years in regard to the usage of mobile phones by the terrorist groups indicate that these equipments have become trustworthy tools for the terrorists. However, just because terrorists are using such tools does not allow the states to ban the usage of such gadgets or jam their frequencies arbitrarily.

The threat to the security of any state from mobile telephone services may not remain restricted in the realm of non-state threats. Recently, India has put restrictions on the import of Chinese mobile phones. As per the Directorate General of Foreign Trade an estimated eight lakh cheap phones come into India every month from China without International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.21 Such phones have back channel linkages and hence a possibility exists that Chinese security establishments could be in a position to trace and monitor communication. It is important for a state like India to remain aware of such a possibility.

On the whole it could be said that the modern day communication technologies have enhanced the way the terrorists function today. Improvements in communication technology and easy accessibility of satellite phones and mobile phones has definitely helped various terrorist groups to carry out their attack with enhanced accuracy and increased success rate. The mobile phones are also being used to detonate explosives. This gives a clear advantage to the terrorist groups over security forces. There have been cases of purchases of large quantity of disposable mobile sets in the West Asia. The trends over the years in regard to the usage of mobile phones by the terrorist groups indicate that these equipments have become trustworthy tools for the terrorists.

However, just because terrorists are using such tools does not allow the states to ban the usage of such gadgets or jam their frequencies arbitrarily. This is because technology has tremendous advantages for mankind including security forces. This leaves the only option for the security forces as to keep constant vigil on the incorrect uses of such technologies by terrorist groups and formulate a dynamic mechanism for countering this threat.

Notes

1. http://edition.cnn.com/2002/US/01/31/gen. binladen.interview/index.html, (Accessed on Jun 12, 2009).
2. J. Paventi, “How Does a Satellite Phone Work?”, http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4597515_ satellite-phone-work.html, (Accessed on March 25, 2009).
3. “How Does a VoIP Work?”, http://www.tech-faq.com/how-does-voip-work.shtml (Accessed on March 25, 2009).
4. “How Does GPS Work” at http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov /learn/gps2.htm, (Accessed on March 25, 2009).
5.  A SIM card is a short form of Subscriber Identity Module card. This is a flat programmed card which is fitted into a cell phone. It contains specific information of the customer of a particular provider. This will include personal as well as other information of that customer or subscriber.
6. http://www.tech-faq.com/sim-card.shtml (Accessed on June 22, 2009).
7. Untraceable Cell Phones May be Used by Terrorists By Ernest Leong Washington, DC 17 January 2006 at http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2006-01/2006-01-17-voa61.cfm?moddate =2006-01-17 (Accessed on May 10, 2009).
8. Burst Mode-Here the device is permitted to perate at high (burst) speed. A number of data characters or words are transferred as one group rather than character by character.
9. Shyam Tekwani, “The Low end of Hi-tech:New Media and Communication Technologies and Terrorism in Asia”, http://www.allacademic. com/meta/p113115_index.html, (Accessed on March 15, 2009).
10. Shyam Tekwani, “The Low end of Hi-tech:New Media and Communication Technologies and Terrorism in Asia”, http://www.allacademic. com/meta/p113115_index.html, (Accessed on March 15, 2009).
11. Sean Gorman, “Blaming Terrorism on Technology and Openness: The Case of Mumbai and Crowd Sourced Security”, Dec 2, 2008, blog.fortiusone. com/…/blaming-terrorism-on-technology-and-openness-the-case-of-mumbai-and-crowd-soruced-security/, (Accessed on January 12, 2009).
12. A BlackBerry is a handheld wireless device which can read email and calendars from enterprise-class email systems and also function as mobile phone.
13. Chris Soghoian, “Obama’s BlackBerry brings personal safety risks”, February 12, 2009, CNET News and Ellen Messmer “Securing the Presidential BlackBerry” Network World, January 18, 2009, http://www.pcworld.com/printable/article/id,157907.html, (Accessed on Mar 17, 2009).
14. Mobiles used in high-tech terror By CNN’s Jim Boulden at http://edition.cnn.com/2004/TECH/04/04/mobile.terror/index.html.
15. “Use of Mobile Phone in Hyderabad Blasts-International Terrorism Monitor” Paper No. 235 by B. Raman, 20.05.2007.
16. “Terror’s Latest Trigger: Cellphones” http://www.eyebeam.org/reblog/archives/2004/03/terrors_latest_trigger_cellphone.html.
17. “Jaish hand suspected in Hyderabad blast” by K. Srinivas Reddy at http://www.hindu.com/2007/05/19/stories/2007051916571800.htm.
18. “Use of Mobile Phone in Hyderabad Blasts-International Terrorism Monitoe” Paper No. 235 by B. Raman at http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/5Cpapers23%5Cpaper2250.html.
19. http://www.fas.org/irp/eprint/mobile.pdf.
20. Army: Social networking service Twitter may be tool for terrorists By William Matthews November 13, 2008 at http://www.federaltimes.com/index. php?S=3819492 (Accessed on May 28, 2009).
21. Dipanjan Roy Chaudhury, “Chip in cheap hinese phones a security hazard”, Mail Today, June 28, 2009.