Global co-operation is key in fight with terrorism – prosecutor

Ujjwal Nikam, the senior prosecutor for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, believes only full international cooperation can prevent a repeat of atrocities such as recent Moscow explosions or bombing in Mumbai in 2008.

The deadly attacks in Russia have shocked the world, and nowhere more so than India because, like Russia, India has been a victim of terror for the past two decades, Nikam told RT.

The main similarities between the terror attacks in Moscow, Mumbai and London are that all these terror attacks were done after meticulous planning, their goal was to cause maximum casualties and to spread panic among the public, the special prosecutor stated.

“Terrorism is a problem faced almost by all advanced countries,” Nikam said. “Terrorism is waged by proxy. I would say now terrorism is, instead of having a direct battle, this is a new technique that has been developed by certain people in order to wage war against the government. And therefore the government machinery has to tackle this problem very seriously.”

Speaking on the psychology of terrorists, Ujjwal Nikam noted that “Terrorist people are thinking that they are the martyrs. […] In fact they have been brainwashed to do a particular illegal act. There are two solutions. First solution is to tackle such terrorist attacks as promptly as possible….[..] And second – the persons who brainwashed these terrorists they must be brought to the law.”

“The Mumbai 2008 [investigation] is now over,” stated the prosecutor. “We have examined more than 650 witnesses. I’m optimistic about that case."

“Certain terrorist organizations are very keen to make these kinds of attacks, not only in India, but may be also in Russia, in America, in England,” emphasized Ujjwal Nikam. “If all these advanced countries unanimously unite together they should bring [justice] upon the country which is giving the protection and these people should be [stopped].”

Terrorists’ main aim is to bring instability to big cities, he added.

Talking about how to deal with terrorists, the senior prosecutor said that “the first way is to find out what it is exactly. If […] they’re local terrorists, then persons who are brainwashing them must be found, imprisoned charged. And if the conspiracy comes from abroad, then the advanced countries should unanimously boycott that particular country.”

It takes too long to charge terrorists in democracies, also mentioned Ujjwal Nikam, there must be some time limits and terrorists should scare of law while governments should deal with terrorists firmly and boldly, at the same time causing no damage to innocent persons.