Air threat in focus as Antony meets service chiefs

New Delhi: With inputs from intelligence agencies suggesting that unused airstrips could be used to mount airborne Terror strikes in the country, the Defence Minister on Wednesday held consultations with the three Armed Forces Chiefs to review the country’s ‘preparedness against any possible terror threats from air’.
The comprehensive review comes after intelligence reports said there was a possibility that abandoned airstrips in the country could be used as base by terrorists planning suicide strikes using small aircraft. The review by the Defence Minister comes after several rounds of talks between the Civil Aviation Ministry and top Air Force officials for a comprehensive surveillance of such airstrips. A joint security plan has also been drawn up by the Air Force. A separate IB report also cautions of a fidayeen attack at a major airport.
The Defence Minister called for a greater coordination with internal security agencies to ensure that intelligence inputs are actionable at the meeting that was attended by Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Air Chief Marshal F H Major, Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh.
The comments come after the Navy expressed its helplessness in stopping the Mumbai attackers, as intelligence inputs provided on November 19 were “unactionable”. The minister is learnt to have told the services that in case of any doubts in such alerts, they should get clarifications from the agencies concerned.
04/12/08 Manu Pubby/Indian Express

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Categories: Airports Dec 2008, Safety Dec 2008