Mumbai, Mar 9: Terror groups al-Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Taiba are looking for opportunities to target the ongoing World Cup cricket matches in India and vital oil installations along the coastline, prompting the Home Ministry to sound a nation-wide alert.
A foreign intelligence agency has conveyed to India that some members of an operational cell of the terrorists could already be in the country, possibly entered via Nepal, and some more may arrive soon.
"A collateral input reveals that al-Qaeda operatives involved in the attacks could travle to India via boat, possibly in the next few months and that these operatives could be well acquainted with maritime travel to reach their targets in quick time and could be Urdu-speaking from the Punjab province of Pakistan," the advisory sent by the home ministry to states said.
The home ministry said that as per the input, the terrorists also have plans to carry out attacks in India during the ongoing World Cup cricket competition.
The Centre has asked the states to beef up security along the coastline, oil installations and all world cup venues. Indian Navy, Coast Guard, coastal police of the states and coastal villages have also been alerted. PTI
