news details |
|
|
| Terror threat looms over Jammu? | | City under siege after ‘inputs’ of plot to attack HC | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Dec 4: The winter capital city virtually remained under siege for the day with thick canopy of cops dotting all key roads and crossing, checking and frisking vehicles following ‘intelligence inputs’ of militants’ reported designs of attacking the High Court complex.
Scene at the High Complex in Janipur and roads leading to it was quite tense as cops, in presence of senior officers, subjected almost all incoming vehicles to intense checking. Even lawyers were not exempted from checking as an officer said, “we have definite inputs for a possible attack on the ‘High Court’ complex”.
Simultaneous cordons were also laid out in parts of the city and its outskirts and all incoming and outgoing vehicles were put to intense checking. Security was also upped around the Airport and Railway Station as cops did not take any chances.
The threat perception in Jammu was possibly a part of nationwide read alert following an email of the so called Deccan Mujahideen calling to attack key airports in the country.
Reports received from other parts of the country said that after receiving inputs from intelligence agencies about possible aerial strikes by terrorists, airports in Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai have been put on high alert as reports suggest that terrorists could have sneaked into India to carry out strikes on the anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid on December 6. There were warnings of possible attacks using hijacked airlines, officials said.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, which is in overall charge of airport safety, said additional paramilitary troops had been deployed to guard six of the country's busiest international airports.
Indian Air Force sources said fighter jets had also been put on stand-by.
"We are now on a high state of alert," Arun Arora, spokesman of New Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport told a news agency.
Earlier on Thursday, Air chief Fali Homi Major said the government has received inputs about terrorists' plans to carry out a 9/11-type aerial attack on targets in India.
"This (report about terrorists carrying out possible aerial attacks) is based on a warning, which has been received (by the government) and we are prepared as usual," Major told reporters after laying a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate on the occasion of Navy Day.
He said the issue was discussed during the meeting of three service chiefs with defence minister A K Antony yesterday at South Block. "The issue was discussed in yesterday's meeting," he said.
Defence minister A K Antony had also yesterday warned the armed forces about the possibility of terror attacks from airborne platforms similar to the 9/11 attacks in the US.
In the meeting, Antony called for greater coordination among security and intelligence agencies so as to make the intelligence inputs actionable.
Antony wanted tightening of vigil along India's coastal, land and aerial frontiers to prevent terror attacks in future.
With India's coastal security already breached by terrorists in Mumbai, Defence Minister A K Antony on Wednesday warned the armed forces of possible terror attacks from airborne platforms similar to the 9/11 attacks in the US.
Antony asked them to be prepared to counter the threat of terrorists from the air and prevent a repeat of World Trade Centre-type of attacks carried out by the al-Qaida.
At a meeting with the three Services chief and Defence officials, Antony called for greater coordination among all security and intelligence agencies so as to make the intelligence inputs actionable.
The meeting, attended by Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major and Army chief General Deepak Kapoor and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, also reviewed the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan in the wake of reports that its army was on a "high alert" following the Mumbai terror attacks.
Antony, sources said, worked out measures with the armed forces for tightening security and vigil along the LoC to prevent infiltration of terrorists through the land route, as "Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) is known to be an important area for recruitment and training of terrorists."
Meanwhile security agencies have also expressed fears of a possible suicide attack by the LeT on Delhi’s Red Fort in view of which surveillance and security of the ancient monument has been beefed up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
