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        The Indian government has played down the alleged warning of Al-Qaeda that 'it would target India as it was targetting Muslims.' Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed has been quoted as saying 'Indian Muslims will not be swayed by Al-Qaeda propaganda.' This response is disturbing and depressing in many ways. The Al-Qaeda video not even once mentions that it would use Indian Muslims to strike terror. So the Minister taking comfort from the point of view that the Indian Muslims would not 'participate in Al-Qaeda's terror campaign' is barking up the wrong tree. The Minister has also been very tactless in his choice of words and his general tone seems to pander to the global stereotype of Muslims.

        Semantics aside, the Indian government can ill afford to feel complacent vis-a-vis Al-Qaeda. One of the voices emanating from the India's power corridors has been heard as saying that the country's intelligence agencies have not stumbled on to anything that suggests that Al-Qaeda is up to something sinister here. Without putting too fine a point on it, the track record of Indian intelligence teams in such matters is something not medal-worthy. It would be illuminating to see what the intelligence reports had said before many of the terror strikes in India. At any rate, there are limitations for any intelligence network. But there is none for a motivated and brainwashed suicide bomber. And Al-Qaeda is thickly populated with such minatory minds.

        It is nobody's case that India should go into an alarmist mode and gingerly watch its every step. But to be on guard, and if it came to the that, to err on the side of caution is not such a bad ploy in these terror-filled times. Australia is a good example of this approach. This open, libertarian nation now has a strong anti-terror policy in place. From an outsider's perspective, it maybe harsh and extreme. But the fact of the matter is that while most of the developed and developing nations have had some terror stories on its soil. Australia has none (at least so far). Need we say more. Like in cricket, India may do well to borrow a few leaves from the Aussies terror policy book. Down Under may perhaps be the way to go.