Mumbai: Four alleged members of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), who sneaked into the city to carry out "violent" attacks, could be "foreigners" and are believed to have infiltrated into the country from the Bangladeshi border, police said.
"The nationality of the four terrorists could not be ascertained yet, but they do not appear to be Indians. They could be from other country or countries," Mumbai Police
Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal told a news agency.
The city police yesterday said that four suspected LeT operatives have sneaked into Mumbai recently to carry out "violent" attacks with the aim of causing "destruction" ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations.
"The four jihadis were identified as Abdul Kareem Moosa, Noor Abu Ilahi, Walid Jinnah and Mahfooz Alam. The four recently sneaked into the city to carry out extremely
dangerous activities," Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Himanshu Roy had told reporters last night.
Roy had released a sketch of Jinnah and issued an advisory to the citizens of the metropolis to remain alert. Sources said they had received information that the
LeT operatives had sneaked into the country through the borders of Bangladesh.
"There is also a possibility that Jinnah could have changed his appearance, as his sketch was released. They were co-ordinating with the state and central intelligence agencies
to track them down," said a senior police official, requesting anonymity.
NSG on alert
The 'black cat' commandos of
the elite NSG have been put on "high alert" and have been
asked to be ready for quick deployment in Mumbai.
The commandos, in view of the alert, can be deployed
to respond to any terror or hijack situation in quick time
from their base at Marol in the city, sources said.
A complement of the NSG has been stationed at the new
hub that was created in the aftermath of the 26/11 terror
attacks.
Sources said the NSG commandos are also currently
undertaking some exercises related to their operational duties
in view of a heightened security situation in Mumbai.
On Tuesday, the Centre sounded a terror alert for Mumbai and Ahmedabad following specific Intelligence inputs that the LeT teams may have entered the two cities to carry
out strikes. The alert will remain for at least a week.
Mumbai police has formed Special cells in a bid to "neutralise" the four terrorists. The police have also set up dedicated phone number -- 022-22633333 -- to enable people
pass on information about the militants and in the event of an emergency.
-PTI
First Published: Friday, December 24, 2010, 23:56