The location of the vessel in this interim period is a mystery authorities are trying to solve. The seized GPS mapping and rough calculations of the average speed of the mechanized trawler tell it would require approximately three to four days for it to cover the 550-plus nautical miles from Karachi to Mumbai. So does this mean it was captured days in advance of the attack? Difficult to tell at this stage of investigations, say officials in Mumbai.

The other theory doing the rounds in the media is the group of 10 terrorists set out on their macabre mission on a Lashkar-e-Toiba owned ship and mid-way on the high seas switched to MV Kuber killing all its occupants except the skipper to get past Indian surveillance.

To get to Mumbai the attackers would have sailed parallel to the Gujarat coastal line across Porbander, Mangrol, and Veraval before taking a sharp turn south-east towards Mumbai. Karachi via Gujarat is not the only sea route to Mumbai. The other route, especially for illegal trade, is via Dubai for goods trade between India and Pakistan is restricted.

The sea trade between the neighbouring countries is governed by a 1974 protocol that does not allow third country flagships/vessels to lift India/Pakistan- bound cargo. Also, it does not allow the flag carriers of both countries to lift cargo for a third country from each other’s port.

In wake of the terrorst attack on Mumbai, India’s Navy and coast guards are expected to strengthen their intelligence and surveillance networks on the Gujarat waters. The Union Government is likely to put in place mechanisms for greater sharing of intelligence between the Navy, coast guards, the local police and central intelligence agencies like Raw.

But is intelligence only about official agencies is the moot question here. Do the locals, the fishermen along the Gujarat coast, figure in India’s scheme of things? This moot question should take us back to the post-Kargil days in Gujarat’s troubled waters.

Watch out for this space tomorrow for Mumbai Terror Aftermath – Part II

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