Ahmedabad steps up hotel security, fearing terror strike

Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Nov.14 (ANI): Security of hotels in Ahmedabad has been beefed up in the wake of reports that US terror suspect David Coleman Headley stayed at top-end hotels in various cities with the aim of conducting a recce for terrorist attacks.

The Gujarat government has directed hotels to take thumb impressions of all guests and keep a copy of their identity cards.

Security personnel have also been deployed to check vehicle movement in the city.

"We will tell the hotel people to take thumb impression of the customers. This is a new thing. The staff can come to the police station and we will tell them how to implement this. If they do not implement it, the department will take the required action," said M.H Vasani, a police inspector.

The FBI arrested Headley, a Chicago resident, in October 2009 for plotting terror attacks overseas, including India. He was arrested along with Pakistani-born Canadian citizen Tahawwur Hussein Rana.

It is reported that Headley came in close contact with several unidentified leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation with links to Al Qaeda.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had registered a case against Headley and Rana in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Headley was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit terrorist acts involving murder and maiming outside the United States and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to that overseas terrorism conspiracy. (ANI)