Growing overlap between terrorism and organized crime in India: A case study

Abstract

This article discusses the growing overlap between organized crime and terrorism in India and highlights the key factors that explain this process. It begins with a summary of the Mumbai attacks of 2008 as an example of growing overlap between organized crime groups and terrorism in India. Organized crime groups that traditionally focused on money-making opportunities and stayed away from extreme forms of large-scale violence have increasingly been converging with terrorist outfits, especially in case of sectarian violence and religious terrorism. Some of the more obvious factors that facilitate this process are drugs and arms trafficking, while the less explored but equally dominant are socio-cultural, politico-religious and historical factors. The global war on terrorism has also increased networking opportunities and incentives for organized crime and terrorist groups that provide each other goods and services, while also adapting to each other’s business and methods.