The Al Qaeda Threat

A day after the a terror plot targeting airliners was foiled in Britain andamidst heightened security across India ahead of Independence Day, the USembassy has sent out an e-mail to US citizens in India:

"Subject: Terrorist Threat in New Delhi and Mumbai

"The Embassy has learned that foreign terrorists, possibly including members of Al-Qaeda, allegedly intend to carry out a series of bombing attacks in or around New Delhi and Mumbai in the days leading up to India’s Independence Day on August 15, 2006 (i.e. a possible time frame of August 11 - 16). Likely targets include major airports, key central Indian government offices, and major gathering places such as hotels and markets.

"The Embassy urges American citizens to maintain a low profile, and be especially alert and attentive to their surroundings during this period.

"Please note that the US Embassy in New Delhi and the US Consulates in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata will be closed on August 15 for Indian Independence Day.The Embassy in New Delhi and Consulate in Chennai will remain closed on August 16 for Janmashtami (Krishna Jayanthi), an Indian holiday. The Consulates in Mumbai and Calcutta will remain open on August 16. The Embassy and Consulates are available for emergency services 24 hours a day."

David Kennedy, the spokesperson of the US embassy adds that according totheir intelligence the target cities are New Delhi and Mumbai.

'Very Innocuous'

However, reacting to the warning, Union Home Secretary V K described it as"very innocuous" and asserted every possible measure has been put inplace to thwart attempts by militant groups to unleash terror ahead of or duringIndependence Day.

"It is normal for a mission to issue advisories whenever they haveinformation. We too do the same thing. They do their security bandobast based onthat. It is a very innocuous advisory," he maintained

Duggal, however, refrained from commenting on the presence of foreignterrorists in the country. He repeatedly ducked questions whether there was anypresence of Al Qaeda in the country. "I have only seen the advisory andthere is no intelligence input shared with us."

Intelligence sources were skeptical about the warning, saying there has beenno evidence so far of Al Qaeda's presence in the country.

Minister of state for external affairs Anand Sharma told reporters thegovernment had received no formal communication from the US about possibleterror attacks in the country. "We have no formal communication yet,"he said. Security has been tightened across the country after the July 11bombings in Mumbai and in view of Independence Day. Further security measureswere put in place around important installations including airports after thefoiled terror plot in Britain. Major airports are on red alert, bombdisposal squads are on high alert and sniffer dogs have been deployed to keyairports across the country. No visitors are being allowed inside the airport.Baggage is being manually checked and surveillance has been increased at ticketcounters.

A contingent of 38 personnel of the National Security Guard has been deployedat the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research at Kalpakkam near Chennaifollowing reports that atomic installations could be targeted by terrorists.

Duggal said appropriate action was taken by the government on the basis oninputs received from various agencies and sources. He said everything requiredwas being done. Police last night arrested at New Delhi railway station twoterrorists of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba, which is believed to be workingwith Al Qaeda.

According to the Special Cell, Abu Anas, a Pakistani national, and AbrarAhmed, the arrested terrorists, have revealed that they visited Kashmir earlierthis month and collected explosives from there and that they have a "coupleof contacts" in the capital, raising suspicions about the existence of anunderground terror module in the capital, possibly tasked to disrupt theindependence day celebrations. Special Cell sleuths are "tracking"certain people and monitoring their phone calls to unearth any terrorist plot.

In the past, the western border used to be the one on high security alert,but the border with Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have now become speciallysensitive, in view of recent developments.