Coimbatore Airport under Terror alert !!!

Security has been tightened at six airports in South India after finding a letter threatening bomb attacks.

The letter warned that "al Qaeda terrorists" had planted "modern explosives" at Chennai airport, three others airports in Tamil Nadu and some airports in Kerala.

Titled "Allah Osama", it also warned of car bombs and was found on Wednesday by an airport worker at a counter at Thiruchirapally airport in Tamil Nadu.

"We are on high alert," said A Subramaniyam, a top Tamil Nadu police intelligence officer.

"We cannot take such threats lightly in the prevailing sensitive situation across the globe," he said.

Another official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the letter was "obviously a hoax but we will take no chances".

No Muslim would combine Allah's name with a man's name like Osama, he said, and the failure to name the airports in Kerala also undermined the letter's credibility.

PTI reports the letter said about 10 al-Qaeda terrorists will break the security cordon and carry out attacks at airports or aircraft.

It said there would be serial bomb blasts at the Chennai, Tiruchirapalli, Madurai, Coimbatore and Thiruvanthapuram airports.

Karnataka Director General of Police BS Sial said that the letter was addressed to the Airport Director and was found by a member of the staff in a room that was under construction for the installation of an ATM machine.

The letter didn't mention Bangalore airport, but security has been heightened there as well. Passengers are being frisked at departure terminals of all airports and even vehicles are being searched.


"Bangalore is a hyper-sensitive airport. We've always had security here, bu now we have enhanced it. However, none of the passengers will be able to see the changes or will be subjected to any inconvenience. We will enhance surveillance and screen all baggage and people coming in and out of the airport," said Director of Bangalore airport Narendra Kaushal.


All airlines operating in south India have been asked to take anti-hijacking measures and make frisking more stringent. All necessary security measures have been put in place at all the airports to thwart any attack, officials said.


The measures included secondary ladder point check and thorough baggage check besides increased security at peripheral areas.


The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered that all security systems should be in place. Air passengers bound to and from southern cities have been asked to report early at airports.


The Civil Aviation Ministry has taken up the matter seriously and held a series of meetings with officials of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Home Ministry and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) for reviewing the situation.

Source: IBN LIVE