Satellite images in IISc attack?

BANGALORE: Investigators probing the December 2005 attack on IISc are leaving no stone unturned. Remote as it may seem, the probe team is looking into whether the attackers used images from remote sensing satellites to plan the strike.
The Google Earth website gives a clear location map of the sprawling IISc campus in the city. It also has clear images of the main buildings on the campus."With highresolution devices, images from various remote sensing satellites can be enhanced to get a clear view of even roads," an expert said.
Former IAF pilot Francis da Cunha, who runs a firm that aids aerospace labs and works largely with satellite imagery, said with high-end computers, visuals from satellite imagery can be enhanced.
The investigating team has so far arrested six persons with Lashkar-e-Taiba links in connection with the IISc attack.
They have been asked about satellite imagery pertaining to IISc during interrogation, sources said. A senior police officer said: "We have not ruled out the possibility of satellite imagery used to plan the attack. Interrogators have asked the arrested persons about remote sensing satellites and its imagery.
There is no concrete information on the issue so far," the officer said. Shortly after the attack, the Kashmir police arrested some terrorists, one of whom had a map of IISc in his possession. The person held a valid driving licence issued by the Yeshwantpur RTO. However, a senior officer in the city police said there was no link between the arrested persons and the attackers in the IISc incident.
"The attack was carried out in a haphazard manner, maybe because there was no well-defined target. But they were successful. The attackers could have done a recce or even taken photographs on a previous visit. They could have even used satellite imagery for an initial study," the officer added.
The issue of satellite imagery of vital infrastructure on Google Earth, that has raised concerns over national security, has gained importance with the President calling for immediate national laws to safeguard critical installations. In the 9/11 attack, terrorists had made use of satellite imagery.