[world] ho hum ... more killing ... now in india
Security was tight across India on Tuesday as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh addressed the nation on its Independence Day after Washington warned of possible militant strikes in the wake of July's deadly train bombings.
Thousands of police manned barricades in the capital, many of them armed with automatic weapons, checking cars and guarding government buildings to prevent possible attacks by Islamist militants.
This year, security at vital installations and around key political figures has been raised to the highest level following last month's train bombings in Mumbai and a warning by the U.S. embassy in New Delhi that al Qaeda may hit Delhi or Mumbai.
The day marks India attaining freedom from British colonial rulers in 1947 and is observed by official ceremonies in each state capital. The main function is held in New Delhi at the Red Fort, built by Mughals, from where the prime minister addresses the nation with pomp and show reminiscent of the first Independence Day.
The occasion is also used by separatist Islamist militants in disputed Kashmir to protest Indian rule in the region by triggering blasts, attacking public meetings and targeting VIPs. On July 11, seven blasts ripped through commuter trains and platforms during rush hour in the western commercial hub of Mumbai, killing 186 people.
This year key terrorist targets identified by the intelligence agencies include airports and nuclear installations, especially the heart of India's strategic nuclear programme, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai. A team of elite National Security Guard commandos have taken over the security at BARC and a similar plant in southern India.
In Kashmir, where an Islamic insurgency against Indian rule has killed more than 45,000 people since 1989, security agencies turned the main city, Srinagar, into a fortress. The Bakhshi Stadium, venue of the main ceremony, was put out-of-bounds. In the past few years, blasts have taken place near the stadium at the time of the function.
Reuters, with additional reporting by Kamil Zaheer
Thousands of police manned barricades in the capital, many of them armed with automatic weapons, checking cars and guarding government buildings to prevent possible attacks by Islamist militants.
This year, security at vital installations and around key political figures has been raised to the highest level following last month's train bombings in Mumbai and a warning by the U.S. embassy in New Delhi that al Qaeda may hit Delhi or Mumbai.
The day marks India attaining freedom from British colonial rulers in 1947 and is observed by official ceremonies in each state capital. The main function is held in New Delhi at the Red Fort, built by Mughals, from where the prime minister addresses the nation with pomp and show reminiscent of the first Independence Day.
The occasion is also used by separatist Islamist militants in disputed Kashmir to protest Indian rule in the region by triggering blasts, attacking public meetings and targeting VIPs. On July 11, seven blasts ripped through commuter trains and platforms during rush hour in the western commercial hub of Mumbai, killing 186 people.
This year key terrorist targets identified by the intelligence agencies include airports and nuclear installations, especially the heart of India's strategic nuclear programme, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai. A team of elite National Security Guard commandos have taken over the security at BARC and a similar plant in southern India.
In Kashmir, where an Islamic insurgency against Indian rule has killed more than 45,000 people since 1989, security agencies turned the main city, Srinagar, into a fortress. The Bakhshi Stadium, venue of the main ceremony, was put out-of-bounds. In the past few years, blasts have taken place near the stadium at the time of the function.
Reuters, with additional reporting by Kamil Zaheer
posted by James Higham @ 05:59
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