India Puts Airports on High Alert Due to Possible Al-Qaeda Threat

Via ABC News Online -

India has declared a high security alert at several of its airports, following the discovery of an anonymous letter threatening car bomb attacks by the Al Qaeda terror network, officials say.
Government officials say security has been tightened at six airports in the south, including Bangalore, after a security advisory was sent to most Indian airports.

"The high alert was sounded following the discovery of a threatening letter at a rubbish bin in Chennai airport," a Home Ministry official in New Delhi said, asking not to be named.

"All necessary security measures have been put in place at all the airports to thwart any attack."

The measures include special checks just before embarkation, increased security around airports, additional baggage screenings and a "bit of passenger profiling," he said.

The note, written in Tamil, warned that Al Qaeda militants would attack airports with car bombs or strike at individual passenger planes.

The letter was first found by a cleaner, who threw it away, but it was later rediscovered.

Chennai airport director S Sreekumar told reporters that security agencies were alerted and an emergency meeting called.

"Although we have received similar threats in the past, this time as the letter particularly mentioned car bombs we could not take it lightly," he said.