More foreign missions warn of terror threat to Delhi

NEW DELHI - A day after the United States embassy warned of possible terror attacks in Delhi, more western foreign missions Thursday advised their citizens to keep away from crowded and popular markets in the Indian capital.

There is “specific and credible information” for probable terror strikes, they asserted.

The Australian High Commission has increased its alert level to “high degree of caution” - the third highest level, echoing the warning of the US embassy.

“According to these warnings, specific and credible information suggests that markets, including Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Greater Kailash, Karol Bagh, Mehrauli, and Sarojini Nagar could be targeted by terrorists in the coming days or weeks,” the advisory issued Thursday said.

“We strongly advise Australians to minimise their presence in market areas of New Delhi,” it added.

The British High Commission noted there are “increased indications that terrorists are planning attacks in New Delhi”.

The advisory also reminded British citizens that terrorists had targeted places visited by Westerners. Further, Delhi markets like Greater Kailash, Ghaffar market and Sarojini Nagar were hit by bomb blasts in 2005 and 2008, it pointed out.

The Canadian High Commission had also issued a separate, but similar security alert.

All the foreign travel advisories gave guidelines to be extra cautious in crowded and public places.

In Washington, US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley Wednesday called the warden message issued by the US embassy in New Delhi “a prudent warning” but would give few details. “There are some specific concerns we have but I’m not going to go into them from the podium,” Crowley said.

“It (the warden message) was just a caution to our citizens within the American community that we have growing concerns about terrorism and it might affect both Indian citizens and American citizens.”