Lashker paragliders target CWG

NEW DELHI: Armed with intelligence reports about Lashker-e-Toiba ( LeT) having recently procured paragliders from China and the Gulf countries, the security agencies are counting these paragliders as a likely source of an aerial threat to the Commonwealth Games.

Even though there are no specific inputs regarding LeT’s plans to use paragliders to launch airborne attacks on the sportspersons, spectators or VIPs attending the sporting event, Union home secretary G K Pillai indicated that the fact that LeT had acquired the paragliders was reason for worry.

“It’s very worrisome because paragliders do not require a runway...they could launch them from anywhere,” Union home secretary G K Pillai was quoted as telling a foreign publication.

According to inputs collected by the intelligence agencies, LeT is known to have bought around 150 paragliders from China and various Gulf countries sometime earlier this year. However, no airborne attack has been attempted so far. With the Commonwealth Games due next month, agencies are wondering whether LeT would now try to get its fidayeen to paraglide on venues to launch high-profile, airborne attacks.

Mindful of such a threat, even though general, the security forces deployed for the Games have been advised to be extra alert and shoot down any foreign or unknown objects in the sky. Paragliders are controlled by a pilot suspended on a harness under a special controllable parachute. Modern paragliders can travel as many as 500 kilometres and stay in the air for up to 11 hours.

UN-proscribed LeT has been at the forefront of terror attacks on Indian soil, the most important being the 26/11 strikes in Mumbai. The outfit continues to plan more attacks against India. As it is, Commonwealth Games face a security threat with Huji leader and Al-Qaeda associate Ilyas Kashmiri calling upon foreign nationals in February this year to stay away from sporting events in India, specifically naming IPL-III, World Hockey Championship (both of which passed off peacefully) and Commonwealth Games.

Even though MHA officials have denied any specific threats to the Games, they are taking cognisance of all general threats and are making the required security arrangements in anticipation. The security set-up will station sharpshooters on all high rises near the venues and en route.