Security forces on high alert after al-Qaeda threat

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 4: Army, BSF and police have stepped up security along the Line of Control (LoC), International Border (IB) and hinterland following Intelligence inputs that al-Qaeda has established a new branch to wage ‘jihad’ in India, which would directly have an impact on Jammu and Kashmir.
Army and BSF, which were already maintaining high alert on the LoC and IB respectively in the wake of reports of infiltration of the militants from Pakistan, have been put on fresh alert to thwart intrusion bids and guard for unusual activity on the borders. Police Headquarters have also devised their strategy to meet with any threat from al-Qaeda.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Army had prepared itself to meet with any kind of threat from al-Qaeda or Taliban in the aftermath of US and NATO troops pull out from Afghanistan, which was scheduled to take place by the end of this year.
“We are well prepared for any kind of situation on the borders. Be it the al-Qaeda, Taliban or Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), we will take on every one of them. Neither of them will be allowed to infiltrate,” sources said, adding the Army and BSF were geared up to meet with any situation on the borders.
Though the al-Qaeda in its latest video has not specifically mentioned Jammu and Kashmir, sources said, their target is obvious. “In fact, every militant outfit has Jammu and Kashmir in mind,” they pointed out.
Meanwhile, in the wake of al-Qaeda video threatening to take the terror outfit’s campaign to India, DGP K Rajendra Kumar today said that the security grid will take extra measures to foil any attempt by the militants to set up base in the State.
“We will step up security measures to meet any challenge. For us every militant (irrespective of affiliation) is a threat which has to be neutralised,” Rajendra said.
The DGP said the security establishment is taking the development very seriously and will meet the challenge.
Kumar said the increase in infiltration attempts have come ahead of State Assembly elections due to be held later in the year. “Extra security forces will be coming in to ensure smooth conduct of elections in the state,” he added.
Sources said security agencies were likely to regular watch on the situation to monitor activities of the militants in the wake of latest threats, which were not new for security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir as some of the LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad cadre were also trained by Taliban in Pakistan.
PTI adds from New Delhi: the Centre today sounded a country-wide alert after an al-Qaeda video appeared in which the terror outfit threatened to carry out campaign in India.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh went into a huddle with top security officials as an initial assessment of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) found the video to be genuine.
An alert has been issued by the Home Ministry to all States and security agencies to take possible precautionary steps, Home Ministry officials said.
Security agencies feel the video could be an attempt by al-Qaeda to carry out fresh recruitments in the sub-continent as it stares at diminishing influence vis a vis the ISIS.
Singh, who discussed the issue with top security officials, later told reporters that the Prime Minister’s Office has been informed about the video.
Ministry officials said an assessment is being made about the presence of al-Qaeda in the country.
The IB, which constantly monitors the activities of terror outfits operating in the country and its neighbourhood, is expected to send the report in this regard within a day or two, officials said.
Sources said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today briefed on the al-Qaeda threat to spread terror in India even as security agencies issued an alert to several States named in the video.
The Home Ministry has asked the Intelligence Bureau (IB) to verify the authenticity of an al-Qaeda video that threatens to take the terror outfit’s campaign to India.
Ministry officials said the IB has been asked to send a report as early as possible giving details of the video, its authenticity and possible place of uploading.
The IB, which constantly monitors the activities of the terror outfit operating in the country and its neighbourhood, is expected to send the report within a day or two, officials said.

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