Alert in Delhi against 'fidayeen' attack

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JAN. 23. Security agencies and the Delhi police are on a ``high alert'' following intelligence reports that a ``fidayeen'' or suicide squad of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has sneaked into the Capital to strike during the Republic Day celebrations.

Top Union Home Ministry officials confirmed that intelligence agencies have given their assessment on the basis of recent intercepts which also indicated that the Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, could be targeted by a four-member LeT squad.

``We are taking appropriate steps on the inputs given by the intelligence agencies,'' Home Ministry sources said.

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police said today that LeT militants had been identified as Ejaz alias Dinesh Sharma, Hashim Baig, Usman and Sikander. Police said the four suspects were in the age group of 20 to 30 years. It said that one of them, Sikander, stammers and generally adopts a Punjabi accent.

The Delhi Police chief, Mr. Ajai Raj Sharma, has already held discussions with the officials of the Home and Defence Ministries and fine-tuned the security line up and arrangements for the Republic Day parade. The Delhi police personnel have also been told to remain extra-vigilant as the LeT militants could be donning the police uniform and leather jackets to facilitate their movement and conceal weapons.

PTI reports:

The Union Home Secretary, Mr. Kamal Pande, said the Jammu and Kashmir ceasefire did not prevent security forces from retaliating against militant strikes in the troubled State.

``Taking on militants has nothing to do with the ceasefire. If we have intelligence information about these outfits, it is natural that security forces will do what it required,'' he added.

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