New Delhi, Dec 24: After India issued a terror alert warning of strikes ahead of Barack Obama’s visit to India, the United States of America too has now issued a travel advisory to all its citizens travelling to India. The US advisory has advised its citizens travelling to India to be on high alert ahead of the visit as terror outfits and also lone wolves may try and target them. [PM Modi’s R-Day invitation to US President will keep even India’s traditional allies guessing] The advisory states that terror groups and lone wolves may try and target American nationals in India and even attempt a hostage crisis in a bid to embarrass the Indian and US governments.
Groups to watch out for: The US advisory and alert suggests that groups such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba pose the biggest threat to the US nationals. The intent of the Lashkar would be to embarrass the Indian government when the President of the United States of America is visiting India on January 25 and 26.
Obama is in India on an invitation to be part of the Republic Day celebrations. Apart from the Lashkar, there is also an alert suggesting that home grown terror outfits such as the SIMI too will strike at the behest of Pakistan based groups. The SIMI has just one agenda and that is to target and embarrass the Narendra Modi led government.
The lone wolf worry: The alerts that have been put out also warn that lone wolves may try and target American nationals. This alert level was raised to high and considered to be Grade A following the Sydney attack. India has faced problems of few radicals joining the ISIS and the Al-Qaeda.
Moreover there are many who are ideologically linked to terror groups and may try and stage a hostage crisis when the US president visits India, the alerts also suggest. Embassies told to step up security: In the wake of this advisory and the alerts, there has been a directive given to the US embassies and establishments in India to step up security.
The alerts suggest that the embassies could also be targeted. Moreover there is also a directive given to all US companies in India to be on guard. There has been ample evidence to suggest that US embassies and organizations in India are under the radar of terror groups. The arrest of Sakir Hussain a Sri Lankan national working for the ISI was arrested and he had revealed that US embassies were being surveyed to launch terror strikes.
India too had issued an alert: Around 10 days back Indian agencies too had issued an alert warning of strikes when Obama visits India. The Indian agencies had said that the ISI and Lashkar could direct the SIMI to carry out terror strikes during the visit by the US president.
There is an alert issued every year ahead of the Republic or Independence Day celebrations. However this time around due to the visit by Obama a man and country hated by Islamic terror groups, the alert levels have been risen to very high.
