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Intel alert to Delhi was general, not specific

September 07, 2011 14:42 IST
In a statement issued after the Delhi high court blast on Wednesday, Home Minister P Chidambaram said that intelligence about threats were shared with the Delhi police in July. 

Sources now say the intelligence was general in nature and did not speak specifically about the judiciary being attacked. Following the 13/7 blasts in Mumbai, a general advisory was sent out to all major cities in the country and the police was advised to keep a strict vigil. However, sources also say that according to the intelligence, the threat was more to Bengaluru than to New Delhi.  

The intelligence alert stated that several elements from disoriented terror groups are on the loose and they are planning similar attacks in major cities across the state. The alert further stated these elements would hit crowded places at peak hours and hence it was important that the police maintain extra caution.

In case of Delhi, intelligence alerts are constantly issued since it is the national capital. Delhi has always been a hunting ground for terrorists. Moreover, terrorists strike important locations in Delhi as they consider it a way to destabalise the system, said a source from the Intelligence Bureau. 

However, the bigger question today is why the explosion outside the Delhi high court on May 25 was not looked at as a pre-warning

Since the blast in May, the police should have been on their toes. However, it's common belief among security agencies that terrorists do not target the same location in quick succession. This led them to become lax, which gave the terrorists advantage. 

Vicky Nanjappa