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Sunday, November 12, 2006
Terror Threat Reported Against Airliner Traveling From India
Excerpt: ERRI DAILY INTELLIGENCE REPORT, EmergencyNet News Service, Sunday, Nov 12, 2006, Vol. 12, No. 315
Terror Threat Reported Against Airliner Traveling From India
NEW DELHI, INDIA: Indian authorities renewed a high security alert (previously reported here) at its airports following a warning that the al-Qaeda terror network could try and hijack US-bound passenger flights.
“We sounded an alert after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) forwarded an email that spoke of the possibility of an al-Qaeda attempt to hijack US-bound flights from India,” a home ministry official said.
The official, who did not wanted to be named, said the email written by an “unknown entity” appeared to have originated from India and was received by the FBI Saturday at its headquarters in the US. The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security is reportedly calling the threat "uncorroborated"
“While the 'target' was US-bound flights, the nature of threat mentioned in the email was 'hijacking”', he said. "All airlines have been asked to request passengers to cooperate with the enhanced security and to reach airports a little ahead of time,” the Press Trust of India quoted an unnamed official as saying.
The heightened measures included last-minute special checks before embarkation, increased security around airports and extra baggage screening.
India tightened security on Thursday at airports in the southern cities of Coimbatore, Madurai, Chennai, Bangalore and Thiruvanthapuram.