Threat from Qaeda; Jolie, Pitt given security

New Delhi, Nov 2: Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, shooting for the film 'A Mighty Heart' based on the life of slain Journalist Daniel Pearl at Pune have been provided with 'Y-category' security due to threat to their lives from international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda, Intelligence Bureau(IB) sources said here today.

After assessing the inputs on threat perception from various intelligence agencies and terrorist organisations, India has provided the desired security to the international stars, said the sources talking to UNI.

The Maharashtra Police was also informed about the threat perception as the film is based on Pearl, who was assassinated by the Al-Qaeda militants in Pakistan after being abducted on January 23, 2002 while working on a story on Islamic militancy.

The stars were on a private visit, otherwise the security could have been further tightened, said the source.

Jolie plays the role of Mariane, the widow of Pearl, the South Asia Correspondent with the Wall Street Journal. American actor Dan Futtermann is in the role of Pearl. Pitt makes a guest appearance in the movie directed by Micheal Winterbottom.

British security experts were flown to Pune earlier this week, after being alerted by Pakistan because of the bad publicity the film would give to Al-Qaeda in the world.

The movie is based on an adaptation of Mariane Pearl's book, A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl, and is being co-produced by Plan B, a production company founded by Brad Pitt and his ex-wife, actress Jennifer Aniston.

Pearl had also covered the Bofors Scam case when the Hinduja brothers surrendered before the trial Judge in Tis Hazari District Court in January 2001.

A spacious bungalow in Aundh, the suburb of Pune, was chosen for the shoot because the area resembles Karachi, Pakistan, where Pearl and his wife Mariane spent some time. The Pakistani Government did not give permission to the film unit to shoot the film in Karachi.

UNI