[Polity] National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC): Meaning, functions,

Controversy
1.

Introduction: The Need for NCTC

2.

What will NCTC do?

3.

Multi-Agency Centre (MAC)

4.

How is it different from US and UK model?

5.

What is the problem with NCTC?

6.

1.

Power to Arrest without informing State Government

2.

Overlapping with NIA

Present Status of NCTC

Introduction: The Need for NCTC

National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC)

After the 26/11 attacks, Government felt the need to setup a separate body to deal with terrorism.

NCTC is modelled on the American NCTC and Britains Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre.

NCTC will derive its powers from the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967

The basic idea is to prevent confusion regarding intelligence inputs and also ensure that none of the police forces from the states
enter into a blame game regarding intelligence sharing as one got to see during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.

What will NCTC do?

1.

It will have the power to conduct searches and arrests in any part of India.

2.

will collect, collate and disseminate data on terrorism.

3.

will also maintain a data base on terrorist and their associates including their families.

4.

In short, NCTC will serve as a single and effective point of control and coordination of all counter terrorism measures.

Multi-Agency Centre (MAC)

It is platform to share varied intelligence inputs coming from various agencies like the
1.

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI),

2.

Economic Intelligence Agency,

3.

Enforcement Directorate etc.

Earlier this MAC was under Intelligence Bureau under Home Ministry.

But in future, the MAC will be placed under the NCTC.

How is it different from US and UK model?

USAs NCTC which deals only with strategic planning and integration of intelligence without any operational involvement

UK s Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which too plays a purely coordinating role.

But the Indian NCTC will have not only intelligence functions but also powers to conduct operations, raids and arrests in any part
of India.

What is the problem with NCTC?

NCTC was to start working from March 2012, but it couldnot be launched due to opposition from a group of Non-Congress chief
ministers who say that NCTC is against the federal structure of the country.

Power to Arrest without informing State Government

Non-Congress chief ministers allege that the NCTC has been empowered to search and arrest people without informing the state
government, police or anti-terror squad in the loop.

Take this scenario for example. A suspected terrorist is holed up in a state. The officials of the NCTC would have the right to enter
into that state and pick him or her up without informing the state machinery and deal with him under their laws.

The role of the state becomes redundant with such powers and states would have no say or role to play in the fight against
terrorism.

This would have a bearing on the rights and privileges of the states as enshrined in the Constitution.

To curb this fear, Home Ministry had altered the rules. Now, the senior most police officers in all states the Director Generals of
Police and the chiefs of anti-terror squads of all states will be members of the Standing Council of the NCTC. They will be informed
before the NCTC conducts an operation in their state.

And Home Ministry had also assured the State Governments that NCTC will now be able to carry out anti-terror operations only in
therarest of rare cases.

Overlapping with NIA

National Investigating Agency (NIA) was established after the 26/11 attacks.

So, the establishment of a new NCTC would only add to the bureaucratic tangle in intelligence sharing and counter terrorist
action.

However, Chindu had assured that NIA is merely a predecessor of NCTC. (so once NCTC comes into operation, the NIA will
function under it or will be submerged into NCTC)

Present Status of NCTC

After Pranab become President, Chindu became Finance Minister and thus Shinde became the Home Minister.
But Shinde, in his first public speech, did not mention National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) or National Intelligence Grid
(NATGRID).
That means, Home Ministry has put the idea in back-burner for now. [May be too busy dozing the coal-scam fire]