Friday, November 10, 2006

Al-Qaeda threat to S India airports

Al-Qaeda threat to S India airports
CNN-IBN -Karma Paljor

Posted Thursday , November 09, 2006 at 14:26

ALL SYSTEMS GO: Airports in the region have been asked to enhance security.

New Delhi: Security at airports in South India has been heightened after the Trichy Airport Director received a letter threatening bomb blasts.

The letter, which was in Tamil says, “al-Qaeda terrorists are going to bomb Chennai airport. It added that suicide squads have penetrated airports in Chennai, Trichy, Madurai, Coimbatore and airports in Kerala.”


However, the Tamil Nadu police says there are no specific intelligence inputs to corroborate the contents of the letter but they are taking no chances and will increasingly monitor vehicle entry inside the Chennai Airport.


Authorities at other airports are also taking the threat seriously. They have put in place additional security measures. There is an increased checking of passengers and their baggage is being randomly checked.


Even in the Bangalore airport, which is not is mentioned in the letter has been put on high alert.


An anti-hijacking squad has been alerted in Karnataka and Mangalore, Bangalore and Hubli airports have been put on high alert.


The police have also said that they are going to ask passengers to come in well in advance to the airports to allow security checks to be finished on time.


Along with other precautionary measures, more armed personnel have been deployed at airports and the authorities have increased surveillance inside and outside airports.


Meanwhile as investigating agencies are investigating the letter, the authorities are leaving nothing to chance because the airlines today are the favourite targets of the terrorists.


(With Inputs from Roshni Menon and Veeraraghav)

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