Now, Indian skies in terror crosshairs

New Delhi: Deccan Mujahideen — the unknown terror module first heard of during the recent Mumbai attacks — is now said to be posing one of the deadliest threats to Indian aviation. The Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai airports in particular have been put on highest possible alert following specific intelligence reports that this group, or foreign terrorists using the name as a front, may target one of the three airports on or around December 6 -- the 16th anniversary of Babri Masjid demolition.
Based on intelligence reports, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) issued a terror alert on Wednesday night, saying: "There could be a terror attack between December 4 to 7, around the Babri Masjid demolition anniversary, at Chennai, Bangalore or Delhi airport. It could be in the form of a hijack attempt or explosives concealed in personal gear like coat etc."
Though security agencies do not rule out the possibility of such inputs having been deliberately planted by terrorist outfits to spread panic, no one in the security establishment seems to be taking it lightly — specially in the wake of what happened in Mumbai last week.
Additional security forces have been deployed at these airports, including induction of the elite NSG in Delhi. An elaborate anti-hijack procedure has been set in motion that should theoretically snap into action the moment a pilot presses the hijack alert button in the cockpit.
For passengers, the enhanced threat means chaos at airport access roads and entry points. Once inside, they should brace themselves for longer queues at several levels of security checks, additional frisking and complete frisking of cabin bags. The aviation ministry put up a brave face, admitting that there was a threat but simultaneously ensuring passengers that all necessary steps were being taken.
Referring to such inputs, the BCAS advisory to CISF, which looks after airport security, said that anti-hijack and anti-sabotage measures should be implemented nonstop at all airports to preempt any untoward incident.
05/12/08 Vishwa Mohan/Times of India

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Categories: Airports Dec 2008, Safety Dec 2008