Rediff

New Delhi, Nov 9: A high alert has been sounded at all airports in the country, particularly those in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, following threats of a possible terror attack by al-Qaeda.

The security alert was issued on Wednesday after the Director of Trichy Airport in Tamil Nadu received an anonymous letter warning of an attack by al-Qaeda at airports or on aircraft in South India.

The letter said about 10 al-Qaeda terrorists will break the security cordon and carry out attacks at airports. The airports that are placed on high alert are Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi, Trichy, Thiruvananthapuram and Coimbatore.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has taken up the matter seriously and held a series of meetings with officials of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, Home Ministry and CISF for reviewing the situation.

All necessary security measures have been put in place at all the airports to thwart any attack, official sources said in New Delhi.

The measures included secondary ladder point check and thorough baggage check besides increased security at peripheral areas.