The assassination bid on former US President and Republican nominee Donald Trump on Saturday has generated both concern and anxiety amongst agencies concerned with the security of various Heads of governments around the world. The complete details of the incident where Trump reportedly escaped being hit by a whisker by a bullet fired by 20-year old, Thomas Matthew Crooks are still awaited. However, even though the Secret Service Snipers killed the suspect, many questions remain unanswered. For instance, was Crooks acting alone or at the behest of someone or some organization and why were so many loopholes discovered post shooting, when the Security detail of the former President should have ensured that the entire area was properly sanitized prior to the meeting. There are multiple conspiracy theories too that are afloat but the real story would take some time to come out or may never be out since it would pinpoint loopholes in the protection of Trump, who is likely to be re-elected to the august office.
Regardless of the outcome of the election, the ease with which the shooter was able to position himself on top of the building, implies that there was some kind of laxity. The attempt could not have been without a motive and this needs to be established without any further delay. Trump is considered to be someone who is never shy of speaking his mind out and often overrules the establishment in getting things done his way. His re-election would mean that the Washington power brokers would be uncomfortable and shall have to cope with his unpredictable behavior and conduct over the next four years.
All these aspects would have to be taken into consideration when the probe finally gets underway. There have been four US Presidents who have been assassinated, John F. Kennedy being the last one on November 22nd, 1963. Although the FBI and the Warren Commission concluded that JFK was shot dead by Lee Harvey Oswald, who too was killed soon after the incident by Jack Ruby, a police informer and Night Club owner, yet various conspiracy theories remain. The official inference was unsatisfactory and contrary to what many had witnessed that particular day. A large number of people who were aware of some aspect of the other of the assassination died in the years to follow under mysterious circumstances. Equally baffling was the killing of his brother, Robert Kennedy, who was shot dead during the 1968 Presidential election campaign in Los Angeles.
His alleged assassin Sirhan Bishara Sirhan is still lodged in jail though questions continue to be asked about the case even now. There was an attempt on the life of Ronald Reagan in March, 1981 soon after he stepped out of the Hilton Hotel in Washington and was proceeding towards his Limousine. The suspect is serving time in a US prison. The Trump assassination bid needs to be taken seriously by the Indian agencies as well, the Special Protection Group, in particular, which looks after the arrangements to protect the Prime Minister. In this context, it is important to recall an incident involving the breach of security of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 5, 2022 when he was travelling by road from Bhatinda to Ferozepur and got stranded on an overbridge near the Piareana village, about 25 kilometres short of his destination. The visuals of Modi’s vehicle on the top of the bridge and surrounded by SPG personnel were flashed in the media and the Prime Minister finally after being evacuated left for Delhi without attending his intended meetings after conveying his displeasure to a minister in the then Punjab government headed by Charanjit Singh Channi.
The blame game commenced soon after and the SPG, which looks after the proximate security of the VVIP, apparently put the blame on the Punjab police. The question that had arisen at that point of time was that who had authorized the road journey on a 144 kilometre stretch through hostile territory, when the farmers were agitating and there were militants who could have taken advantage of the situation. The Punjab police had clearly put its foot down and the PM was to originally go to Ferozepur by air, but there was change of decision at Bhatinda leading to the dangerous road journey. There had been no Advance Security Liaison that was conducted and the SPG, the Intelligence Bureau and other agencies were aware that there were no safe houses on the way, which is a pre-requisite.
No meeting to authorize the road travel was held and there is no such record available. The government took the lapse seriously, and rightly so, and an inquiry committee led by Mrs Indu Malhotra, a retired Judge of the Supreme Court was appointed. Unfortunately, the report that came out had many shortcomings, and without verification of documents and procedures, indicted the Punjab government.
There was no word said against the SPG, which is solely responsible for the PM security detail. If any internal action within the organization was taken, it was not shared in the public domain. The fallout of the inquiry has many aspects and is likely to be challenged by those who have been indicted since they have been held responsible without proper records being there to substantiate the charge. The question that arises is that why did the PM not travel by a helicopter, and why was there only one vehicle on the flyover that was stranded, and where were the remaining similar vehicles which are always a part of the convoy. The Home Ministry also needs to look into reports that the Security Personnel these days often speak on Cell phones to each other and there is no record available later. The earlier practice was to have all important communication through the wireless system since everything is logged and on record and the concerned agencies are in the loop. In any case, there are lessons to be learnt from the Trump assassination attempt for all including the SPG and Indian agencies.
