There is intelligence warning that Kashmiri terrorist groups could hijack a plane to demand release of Mohammed Afzal
There is intelligence warning that Kashmiri terrorist groups could hijack a plane to demand release of Mohammed Afzal
The possible fallouts of hanging Parliament attack accused Mohammed Afzal and other recent intelligence inputs have led to heightened security alert at Indian airports, and increased security for VVIP families.
Sources said a spate of intelligence inputs and analysis has led to a sudden stepping up of security at various levels, especially for VVIP families at airports. Two key factors have prompted the present response. One, an alert from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to Indian authorities that terrorists may hijack passenger planes bound for US and Europe.
The alert, based on an email apparently sent from India, has led to an extra round of passenger check after check-in. This has further slowed down passenger clearance in the already over-crowded airports of the country. The hijack alert comes a few days after another letter received by the airport authorities in Tiruchirappalli warning of an Al Qaeda attack had resulted in heightened security in airports last week.
The cabinet secretary on Monday chaired a high-level meeting of senior officials from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Intelligence Bureau and other agencies to take stock of the situation.
Sources said the government would keep a heightened vigil in the coming days, mostly because of intelligence analysis warning that Kashmiri terrorist groups could hijack a plane to demand release of militants, especially Mohammed Afzal, the Parliament attack accused sentenced to be hanged. The same fear has also forced the government to put grandchildren of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee under the highest security cover, the Z-plus category.
Sources said intelligence analysis has warned that there could be efforts by Kashmiri terrorist groups to kidnap these children, or hijack planes to demand release of jailed militants including Afzal.
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