Sleeper Cells

Authors wonder sometimes if they are prophetic. How is it that what appears in the plot of their books actually happens in reality? I guess the answer lies in their writing about what they perceive happens in the society they live in.  Here’s a case in point. What I have written in “Lucky For Some, Thirteen” about sleeper cells in Bangalore seems to have come true.

The TV channels and newspapers are full of news items about recent arrests in Bangalore.  Investigators claim to have busted a terror module with the arrest of 11 persons. They are alleged to have been recruited by the Pakistan-based terror outfit, the Laskar-e -Taiba. (LeT). These include educated persons like qualified doctors. The police allege that the gang was planning attacks on carefully selected targets in and around Bangalore.

Terror and spy outfits have used sleepers cells for hundreds of years. The concept is simple. Sleepers as the name suggests are those who are recruited to a cause and asked to lay low till they are called upon to make their presence felt. History tells us that in the World Wars, sleeper cells were activated and used by the Germans and the Allies alike.

It is common for terror outfits to recruit local people to help them further their cause. They are required to provide valuable support in terms of  knowledge of the area, the people, etc and provide logistics support as well. Why do young man and women join these outfits? To my mind, some join because they are disgruntled. They are easily persuaded to believe that the world has done them a lot of wrong. Others join as they seek revenge on perceived enemies. Yet others, blindly follow a cause being  led to believe it is the right thing for them to do.

“Lucky For Some , Thirteen” will be published soon by Mahaveer Publishers.