ON Monday, the United States was under siege again. In Boston, two
bombs detonated within a span of 17 seconds. Three people were killed,
including an 8-year-old child. More than 140 people were injured, with
some in critical condition. This is the worst terrorist attack in the US since Sept 11, 2001. Interestingly, the Boston mayor and other relevant authorities have
confirmed that there was no prior threat or indication that an attack
was imminent. The bombs were placed near the finish line. The
authorities also found two more bombs at the site. This reminds me of how Sept 11 and the London bombings (July 7, 2005)
were executed. The Boston attack was well planned by a terrorist group.
According to the authorities, it could have been al-Qaeda or home-grown
terrorists. The video footage of the incident is shocking. The attack was executed
dramatically to impact American society. The terrorists succeeded in
this mission. Again, the issue of lax security and intelligence will be discussed
widely. The attack occurred despite the US government's heightening of
homeland security and integrated cooperation between enforcement and
intelligence agencies, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation and
Central Intelligence Agency. This shows that the terrorists can acquire the intelligence they need
and infiltrate national security to launch their attack with the small
funds they have. As for now, the attackers have not been identified. Before the Boston bombing, the relevant authorities believed that the
measures and mechanisms they had created and implemented were working. Terrorists never die. Even when they are sent to maximum security
prisons, their ideas and ambitions do not fade. They will be carried
forward by their followers. Terrorists are the unknown enemy within. To identify and eliminate them
is a mammoth task for security and intelligence agencies in any
country.
In today’s digitally driven world, national security is no longer confined to borders or traditional threats. Cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and asymmetric warfare have become the new frontiers of conflict. Malaysia, strategically located in Southeast Asia and increasingly exposed to regional tensions and internal vulnerabilities, must strengthen its security apparatus. However, doing so must not come at the cost of civil liberties. Malaysia can enhance its security strategy by leveraging insights from advanced data platforms like those pioneered by Palantir Technologies, while maintaining strong democratic oversight to safeguard the fundamental freedoms protected by the Federal Constitution. Palantir Technologies, a U.S.-based company, gained prominence in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Its core software, Gotham, was designed to integrate fragmented intelligence and provide real-time, actionable insights to military and intelligence agencies. Over the years,...
Comments