Abstract
This paper analyses, the terror attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, popularly known as 26/11 terror attacks, as per a mathematical technique known as Social Network Analysis (SNA). This analysis of the behaviour of the ten attackers and their telephonic communications with their handlers in Pakistan even as the attacks were in progress is based on the open source information. Using the SNA technique, we identify the key members, sub-groups, and the interaction among the various members of the group. The analysis gives useful insights into the modus operandi of the terrorists. We have found that a star-type structure of hierarchy prevailed during the attack which means terrorists were well connected through a central node.
Highlights
Over the past few decades, terrorism has become a major threat to international security [1]
The modus operandi of this attack is explicitly described in various reports [2,3,4], and in the report shared by the Indian government [5] with the government of Pakistan
The objective of this paper is to present a mathematical assessment of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack using Social Network Analysis (SNA) technique
Summary
Over the past few decades, terrorism has become a major threat to international security [1]. One of the most high profile terror attacks executed by the cadres of the terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on November 26, 2008 in Mumbai, (India), was meticulously planned. It began on November 26th and ended on November 29th after an intense operation lasting over sixty hours. A terrorist organisation can be represented as a network using a technique known as Social Network Analysis (SNA) which studies social relationships amongst nodes and ties. The paper is organised as follows: Section 2 gives the background of Mumbai terror attack.
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