No new terror law, Govt may set up new agency

New Delhi: Under pressure to come up with a solution to the terror, the Government is looking to set up a federal agency to fight terror.

A three-hour special meeting of the Union Cabinet convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh discussed the situation arising out of a spate of terror attacks in the country especially the serial blasts in Delhi.

Sources tell CNN-IBN the Government is planning to form a federal agency to fight terror. However, no new terror law is being considered.

Sources say Home Minister Shivraj Patil was of the view that better policing and better intelligence were necessary to fight terror. He and a section of the Cabinet felt effective use of the existing laws can deter terror and therefore, no new terror law was required.

In an indication that an embattled Patil is not isolated in the Government, the Union Cabinet rallied behind him and approved "comprehensive" anti-terrorism measures though his ministry came under attack for its handling of internal security.

Sources said there was criticism of the functioning of the Home Ministry though the attack was not personally directed against Patil. It was felt that there should be no "knee-jerk reaction" to opposition's political attack and demands, a stand interpreted as no immediate threat to Patil.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister, in a meeting with Governors, admitted there are gaps in intelligence gathering in the country.

"We are actively considering legislation to further strengthen the substantive anti-terrorism law in line with the global consensus on the fight against terrorism,” he said.

Ahead of the meeting, Congress president Sonia Gandhi met the Prime Minister and discussed issues relating to steps to be taken to fight terrorism.

Reflecting Government's concern over the recent serial bomb blasts in Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Delhi, Singh admitted there were "still vast gaps in intelligence" that needed to be overcome.

The Prime Minister also rejected the opposition charge of being soft on terror. "There is no question of government being soft on terrorism."

(With agency inputs)