Today there are two bombs
exploded during the Boston marathon. The authority said that at least three
people are killed including an 8 years old boy and more than 140 people were
injured. The investigation is going on to determine who had done this terror
attack. At the press meeting the Boston mayor had indicated there are no prior
threats had received by the authority to stop the marathon event.
This terror attack is an
astounding attack. No one had predicted that this can happened in this event.
The authority had said that the place of marathon has been secured for 72 hours
before the marathon is started. There is no imminent threat. It is highly
possible that the bombs can be planted or placed when the marathon is started. These
attacks also can be done by anyone who had participated or any bystander of
Boston marathon who had come from different countries.
The attack is well planned and executed.
This can be done by a person; group or organization that had evaded in without
detected by enforcement and intelligence agencies. They had chosen strategic
places to detonate bombs where the bombs were packed in an unsuspected way and
were exploded in between 12 seconds. This is an important commercial area of
Boston and the impact of the attack is enormous.
One of the possibilities that
these attacks can be launched by the sleeper cells in United States of America.
Sleeper cell means a terrorist cell whose members work under cover in an area
until sent into action. A sleeper can be anyone who is an ordinary man and
doing normal jobs with family until he received an instruction from a handler
at terrorist command center which is located domestically or internationally to
launch a terrorists attack at said place.
Before and after the September 11th,
the emergence of the sleeper cells in USA is very much in evidence. The
findings of 9/11 Commission had highlighted this issue. Further it stated that
the lack of cooperation between the enforcement and intelligence agencies to exchange
the vital information on security for such an attacked happened in USA territory.
In addition, the participation of
USA on global conflicts encouraged the aggrieved parties or groups launched
their attacks on USA soil is well documented. With the Boston terror attack, once
again it had been proven that with the high level security, enforcement and intelligence,
the threats are very looming. The serious lax of intelligence gatherings and cooperation between relevant agencies is an evidence on
this attack.
This is very much similar to
Malaysian position now. The terrorists’ attacks in Lahad Datu recently and the
ongoing threats in Sabah by these Sulu terrorists will have parallel
consequences that had happened in Boston. In their recent statement they had
said that they already placed sleeper cells in Sabah and the imminent terror
attacks are very much possible. By having Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSOM)
and Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (SOSMA) as the tools to
prevent these threats, the authority should enhance the intelligence
cooperation between relevant enforcement and intelligence agencies locally and
regionally to circumvent such attacks occurred in our soil.
On 20 April 2013 is the
nomination day and 5 May 2013 is the polling day. All the attention and focus
of the enforcement and intelligence agencies will be on these events. This can
be used by the terrorists to launch an attack in any parts of our country to
have a maximum impact to destabilize our country. There are no reasons on lax
of our national security to give these terrorists an advantage to launch the
attack. Therefore we as the Malaysians need to cooperate with relevant
authorities to provide necessary information even though that information can
be regarded as minor information to help our agencies to prevent such an attack
is happened in our territory.
We, as Malaysians need to depart
from traditional and conservative thinking the issues on national security and sovereignty
of our country on the shoulders of leaders, enforcement and intelligence
agencies. It’s time for us to take these responsibilities together with them to
ensure the safety of our border and nation is protected always.
Comments