[1]The country has got its first dedicated anti-terror body, National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), with the government passing an executive order to operationalise NCTC from March 1.
The body, which will function under the intelligence bureau, has been given its own operational wing with powers to arrest and conduct searches under section 43A of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
NCTC has also been empowered to requisition National Security Guard (NSG) or any other specialised force it deems necessary for anti-terror operations. Though NCTC will initially be a part of IB, the government has kept the option of evolving it into a separate statutory body open.
At present, the NCTC unit is to be headed by a director of the rank of additional director-general with three units — gathering intelligence, analysis of intelligence and carrying out operations — each to be headed by an IB joint director.
While the 'core staff' will be drawn from IB, NCTC will have officers on deputation from other agencies, such as RA&W, joint intelligence committee, National Technical Research Organisation, Defence Intelligence Agency, Directorate-General of Military Intelligence, Directorates of Air and Naval Intelligence, Central Economic Intelligence Bureau, Central Board of Direct Taxes, Central Board of Excise and Customs, Narcotics Control Bureau and so on.
The duties and functions listed for NCTC include coordination with 'existing investigative and intelligence agencies to ensure that all terrorist cases are solved and the perpetrators brought to justice'.
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[1] http://archive.asianage.com/07p1pcjpgcropdisplayjpg-564