Representational image
New Delhi:
India's counter-terror force, the National Security Guard or NSG, has warned of a joint attack by Al Qaeda and ISIS or Islamic State on cities.
"Terrorist groups from across the Line of control, like the Lashkar, Jaish, Harqat and IM, if they have a strong bond with ISIL or Al-Qaeda, then there will be a higher level of threat. The apprehension that we have is that if they do have a combined kind of strategy," said NSG Director General JN Choudhury today.
"If they do have combined operations, we have to prepare for multicity and multiple terror attacks, and that is what we are trying to prepare for," he added.
The comment comes days after intelligence agencies warned of a plan by the al Qaeda to target India during the festive season.
A top army commander in Kashmir had on Wednesday expressed concern about the recent display of ISIS flags in Srinagar.
"ISIS has the capacity of attracting young men and that is a concern for us," said Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, the Commanding Officer of the Chinar Corps or 15 Corps tasked with guarding the border with Pakistan.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said that ISIS has no presence in his state. "You have to understand that no ISIS group has been identified so far in the Valley. The flag of the ISIS was waved by some idiots "he said.
Last week, the ISIS flag was carried by men at a public park after Eid prayers.
ISIS flags and banners appeared in the summer on three different occasions.
The first reported sighting in Kashmir was on June 27 at Zadibal, a Shia dominated area in Srinagar, intelligence sources have told NDTV. This was followed by two more incidents on Eid. Officials say they cannot rule out more incidents going unreported.
"Terrorist groups from across the Line of control, like the Lashkar, Jaish, Harqat and IM, if they have a strong bond with ISIL or Al-Qaeda, then there will be a higher level of threat. The apprehension that we have is that if they do have a combined kind of strategy," said NSG Director General JN Choudhury today.
"If they do have combined operations, we have to prepare for multicity and multiple terror attacks, and that is what we are trying to prepare for," he added.
The comment comes days after intelligence agencies warned of a plan by the al Qaeda to target India during the festive season.
A top army commander in Kashmir had on Wednesday expressed concern about the recent display of ISIS flags in Srinagar.
"ISIS has the capacity of attracting young men and that is a concern for us," said Lieutenant General Subrata Saha, the Commanding Officer of the Chinar Corps or 15 Corps tasked with guarding the border with Pakistan.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said that ISIS has no presence in his state. "You have to understand that no ISIS group has been identified so far in the Valley. The flag of the ISIS was waved by some idiots "he said.
Last week, the ISIS flag was carried by men at a public park after Eid prayers.
ISIS flags and banners appeared in the summer on three different occasions.
The first reported sighting in Kashmir was on June 27 at Zadibal, a Shia dominated area in Srinagar, intelligence sources have told NDTV. This was followed by two more incidents on Eid. Officials say they cannot rule out more incidents going unreported.
