IB chief wants anti-terror policy revisited

Intelligence Bureau Chief ESL Narisimhan, contrary to the government's stated policy, today said it was time to "revisit" the strategy to counter terrorism.

In his address at the annual conference of directors-general and inspectors general of police in New Delhi, Narisimhan, said the law enforcement agencies needed a separate legal framework to deal with terrorism.

The statement may not endear him to the UPA government, which, in one of its first legal interventions, had abolished the anti-terror law POTA.

"How do you deal with cases when fidayeen attacks are foiled by police? Questions are raised," Narisimhan said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister Shivraj Patil were present at the function.

"We need to find answers to these issues as national counter-terror strategy suffers immensely when officers and men who put everything at stake in protecting society find themselves helpless and facing legal and extra-legal campaign in the subsequent period," he said.

The Congress tried to play down the remarks, saying many of the "good points" of the POTA law had been put in the amended Unlawful Activities Act.