Author: Editorial
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: August 26, 2006
Don't shed tears for Mumbai dozen
The brouhaha over Dutch authorities taking 12 Indian Muslims in custody for questioning is totally uncalled for. The facts of the incident, if separated from the lib-left chaff that threatens to swamp the truth, make it abundantly clear that the fault lies entirely with the Indians who, despite being frequent air travellers - as claimed by their families in maudlin testimonials telecast by news channels - chose to behave in a suspicious, if not obnoxious, manner while travelling by a Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Mumbai on Wednesday. They were repeatedly asked to put on their seat belts but they refused to do so; instead, they kept on hopping seats, making a nuisance of themselves and disturbing fellow passengers. Despite the universal ban on using mobile phones after an aircraft's doors have been closed, they kept on toying with their cell phones, passing them around in spite of several requests to put them away. In the wake of the London plot, hatched by a group of Islamists, to commit mass murder by blowing up passenger jetliners in midflight, security agencies and aircraft crew have understandably become strict in monitoring suspicious activities and implementing rules that in lax countries unmindful of the threat posed by jihadis, including ours, are followed more in the breach than in practice. Moreover, with the unravelling of the London plot, those travelling by air are prone to nurse taut nerves: It is not surprising that passengers, including at least one Indian, on the Northwest Airlines flight should have protested to the crew about the odd behaviour of the Mumbai dozen. What fuelled the onboard air marshalls's suspicion further was the fact that all the cell phones were without SIM cards. In such circumstances, it is unfair to describe the decision to bring the flight back to Amsterdam and take the 12 men in for questioning as "extreme"; nor does it make sense to accuse the Dutch authorities of indulging in "racism" or "targetting Muslims".
Only those in denial of the threat posed by Islamists would cavil against the Dutch authorities for doing something that is admirable and from which security agencies in India can learn valuable lessons. Let there be no mistake: What happened on the aborted Northwest Airlines flight to Mumbai and subsequently in Amsterdam is neither about South Asians being harassed for the colour of their skin nor does it add up to over-reaction to what is being described by "outraged" politicians and mediapersons as innocuous delinquent behaviour. It is about being sincere in implementing security norms to prevent terrorism and ensure the safety of passengers. Just because we are used to security agencies not taking their responsibilities seriously and rules being violated without any penalties, we cannot expect the rest of the world to be callous and careless. No, the 12 Indian Muslims who were detained for questioning are not terrorists; but their onflight behaviour was no different from that of potential bombers planning to blow up the aircraft. They should have known better; since they chose to disregard clear warnings, they deserve what they got and more. Politicians should have seen the incident in this perspective, instead of demanding an apology from the Dutch Government. Hopefully our security agencies will now follow the Dutch example and act tough.