US warns bombs may be planned for two Indian cities

THE US Embassy in India yesterday warned that foreign militants, possibly al-Qaida members, may be planning to carry out bombings in two major Indian cities in the coming days.

In an email sent to American citizens living in India, the embassy said New Delhi and Mumbai were the targets of the alleged plot, and that the attacks were believed to be planned around India’s Independence Day, which falls on August 15.

Indian officials refused to comment on the warning.

However, police said later they have asked 13 foreign Muslims, including three Britons, to leave the country after they were found preaching in a northern hill town.

All 13 were staying at a mosque in the town of Roorkee without informing Indian authorities, said police officer RS Meena.

Three are British nationals, and the others were from Indonesia, Meena said.

They travelled to India on tourist visas on July 3, but on August 8, they were found attending a religious procession by a Muslim group in Roorkee.

Indian laws prohibit foreigners who visit the country on tourist visas from participating in religious activities and preaching.

The US Embassy’s warning for India said the “likely targets include major airports, key central Indian government offices, and major gathering places such as hotels and markets”.

It urged US citizens to maintain a low profile, and be especially alert and attentive to their surroundings.

Meanwhile, the Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency reported the arrests of two members of a Pakistani Islamic militant group suspected in a string of bombings in India, including last month’s attacks on Mumbai’s commuter trains which killed 207 people.

One of the two alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba militants is Pakistani, and both were arrested late yesterday with two kilos of a powerful explosive known as RDX and a huge quantity of ammunition, PTI reported. The agency said the arresting officers believed they had foiled a terror plot.

The Pakistani was identified only as Anaz, a native of Islamabad, and the other man as Abrar Ahmed, from the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, PTI said.

They were arrested at New Delhi’s train station.