Paris terror strikes were ‘optimised Mumbai-style attacks’: UN

From Yoshita Singh United Nations, Aug 19 (PTI) Islamic State terrorists had"studied" the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and similar "activeshooter scenarios" to maximise confusion and casualties beforehitting multiple locations in Paris in November, UN member-states have said. The 18th report of the Analytical Support and SanctionsMonitoring Team submitted to the UN Security Council’s 1267ISIS, Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee said the modus operandithat IS operatives demonstrated while conducting multiple,nearly simultaneous attacks, such as in Paris and Brussels,presents particular problems in terms of security response. "Member-States explained that that was a deliberate tacticin order to make it more difficult to mount coordinated andtargeted responses to the most dangerous continuing threats,"the report said. They said the November 13, 2015 terror attacks targeting asports stadium, restaurants and a concert hall in Paris werefashioned on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack as well as on theNairobi mall assault. "The attacks in Paris in November 2015 were described bymember-states as ‘optimised Mumbai-style attacks’demonstrating that the terrorists had studied previous ‘activeshooter scenarios’, such as the attacks in Mumbai, India, andat the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, and learned lessonsabout how to maximise confusion and casualties," it said. At least 130 people were killed in the Paris attacks andhundreds wounded, while the Mumbai attacks, carried out by thePakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba killed more than 160 people. According to various member-states, given that duringattacks such as that on the Bataclan theatre in Paris theperpetrators’ apparent aim was to cause fatalities as swiftlyas possible, it is essential for security forces to takeaction quickly, the report said. "Such a scenario is not, however, part of the standardresponse of some law enforcement agencies to hostagesituations. Traditionally, security forces seek to buy time tonegotiate with perpetrators to secure the release of hostages. "Consequently, member-states pointed out that those incommand and those providing policy approval should be briefedin advance on the limited options available to ensure thatresponse teams are able to engage the terrorists quickly tohalt the killing as soon as possible," it said. The report also said several leaders of the Al-Qaida inthe Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), including some of Indian-origin, are not listed under the UN as designated terrorists. Member-states assess the number of Al-Qaida operatives inAfghanistan with ties to AQIS could be as high as 300. "The group consists mainly of militants from Pakistan,India, Bangladesh and Maldives," it said. According to member-states, supporters of Al-Qaida inAfghanistan joined AQIS, headed by Indian-origin Maulana AsimUmar, who is not listed. Osama Mehmood, the group’s spokesperson, Umar Khattab,responsible for the region in the east of Waziristan inPakistan and Umair Afzal Rana, head of media and propagandaare also not subject to asset and travel bans. PTI YAS ABH AKJABH