No specific security threat to CWG: Union Home Secy

Mon, Sep 06 10 08:37 PM

Thiruvanathapuram, Sep 6 (PTI) The Centre today said no specific security threat had been received to the Commonwealth Games to be held in Delhi next month. Acquisition of para gliders by Lashkar-e-Toiba had come to the notice of Centre, but it did not cause any direct threat to CWG, Union Home Secretary G K Pillai told reporters here. Asserting that the Centre was not concerned by the LeT acquiring para gliders, he said government would take all necessary steps for foolproof security for the games. On the standoff between BlackBerry and Union Government over giving access of its message service to security agencies, Pillai said the firm had made available some of its features to the Centre. They have agreed to provide more, he said adding, "the Centre has asked for company''s data services considering national security." "It is a must for monitoring some messages. But, that does not mean that we are watching all messages and data," he added. Pillai, who reviewed the centrally-aided police modernisation schemes during a meeting with DGP Jacob Punose and other officials, said growth of religious fundamentalism in Kerala had become become a matter of concern. "Kerala is a state known for communal harmony and any threat to it will have very adverse consequences," he said. However, he said the state government was well aware of the situation and was taking necessary steps to combat the threat. The Centre was closely watching the activities of Popular Front of India (PFI), whose members were allegedly responsible for chopping the hand of college lecturer T J Joseph, Pillai said. "Some elements in the outfit are with extremist ideas though many others in the organisation were not aware of this," he said. On banning PFI, Pillai said the outfit had not come under the ''unlawful activities'' parameters. At present there was no move to ban the outfit, he added. On the existence of Maoists in Kerala, he said naxals were active in Waynad, the northern part of the state. However, he said their activities were not confined to Waynad alone. "We have information about setting up front organisations by Maoists," Pillai said. The state government was aware of this and was capable of dealing with the situation, he said. On the release of three police personnel kidnapped by Maoist in Bihar, he said the entire matter was handled by the state government. The Centre primarily provided sharing of intelligence inputs and other logistic support. "The steps of the state government are supported by the Centre," he added.

Source: Published>