Anti-Islam video: IB asks states to be on alert

The Intelligence Bureau issues alert over the video that has provoked protests in the Arab world, reports Vicky Nanjappa.

The Intelligence Bureau has issued an alert asking state governments to step up security in the wake of the protests in the Arab world over an anti-Islam video posted on a social networking site on the Internet.

Angered by the video, protesters on Tuesday, September 11, stormed the US consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi, killing American Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others.

The IB alert states that some groups could take advantage of the situation to cause trouble. States like Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka have been put on alert.

Sources in the Intelligence Bureau say the alert is general in nature and a precautionary one. "Even a small incident could lead to a string of incidents and we want to prevent that," an IB official said.

Such videos are of great concern to security agencies as anti-Islamic videos were discovered on the computers of the accused arrested in connection with the alleged conspiracy to kill politicians and journalists in Karnataka.

The IB says it has intercepts that reveal some organisations are urging protests against the video. This needs to be prevented, IB officials say.