Muslim radicals arrest confirm Kamakhya temple threat

Guwahati, July 18 (UNI) A Security threat to Kamakhya temple in Asom was established following revelation of some arrested muslim fundamentalists who visited the holy shrine.

The Kamakhya temple, a must visit site for travellers, had figured in the list of religious centres in the country facing the threat of terror attacks, intelligence sources had informed a few days ago.

Interrogation of five muslim radicals, arrested from different hotels in the city a couple of days ago, had revealed that they had visited the temple during their stay, police sources said.

''The arrested persons checked in hotels using Hindu names and visited the temple,'' the sources added.

However, police suspect their motive of visiting the temple and beefed up security, apprehending a strike at the shrine.

Police suspected that the arrested persons had links with Pakistan's ISI, the Laskar-e-Toiba or the SIMI.

Meanwhile, in another twist to the arrests, police revealed that two of those arrested bore resemblance to suspects of last week's Mumbai blasts.

Massive search operations had been launched in the entire Northeast following the Mumbai blasts, with intelligence reports stating that Muslim fundamentalists were planning terror strikes.

Muslim radical groups were suspected to have bases in the Northeast and the arrest of 11 suspected SIMI activists in Tripura and two in Asom confirmed such apprehensions.

UNI SG-MT PC SK RK1750