Reuven Azar, the Israeli Ambassador to India, has issued a stark warning regarding potential radical Islamist terror attacks, stating that India, Israel, and nations worldwide must prepare for a new wave of terrorism. Highlighting the growing threat, he noted that terrorist organizations are expanding their operational capabilities at a pace faster than governments and security agencies. To stay a step ahead, security apparatuses must accelerate their readiness and intelligence-sharing mechanisms.
The Accelerating Speed of Terror and Hamas Activities
In an exclusive interview, Ambassador Azar emphasized, 'Terrorists are faster than us, and we must be faster than them. If we want to prevent the next wave of terrorism, we need continuous vigilance and timely preparation.' When questioned about the growing collaboration between terror networks, Azar pointed to the expanding footprint of Hamas outside the Middle East. He claimed that over the past year, several senior Hamas commanders have been tracked in Pakistan and Bangladesh, participating in events linked to extremist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Azar suggested that such interactions and ideological crossovers have inspired local extremist cells, making regional security environments increasingly volatile and unpredictable.
The FlyDubai Incident as a Major Security Threat
The ambassador’s warning comes amid ongoing investigations into the FlyDubai flight incident, where an Omani co-pilot attempted to attack Indian Captain Smit Machar and take control of the aircraft carrying 174 passengers. Despite sustaining injuries, Captain Machar fought back and managed to alert passengers, who successfully subdued the co-pilot before an emergency landing was executed in Saudi Arabia.
While investigators are still probing whether the attack was an isolated incident or part of a larger syndicate, Azar termed it a serious wake-up call. He lauded the exemplary courage and presence of mind displayed by the Indian captain and passengers, which averted a catastrophic disaster.
'The Freelance' does not independently verify the authenticity of claims made in videos viral on social media platforms. The incident remains a subject of widespread discussion online. Video Courtesy: Respective Social Media Handles / Creators.
