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American citizens warned about possible violence in Tamil Nadu

The United States administration has alerted American citizens in South India about potential violence in Tamil Nadu from Al-Umma, a Muslim fundamentalist organisation.

Department Spokesman James Rubin said ''The Al-Umma group, allegedly responsible for the February 1998 bomb blasts in Coimbatore that killed 46, has threatened violent actions in the state of Tamil Nadu on December 6, the anniversary of the 1992 destruction of Babri mosque in Uttar Pradesh.

''Threats are reported to include the killing of senior Indian government officials and destruction of unspecified multi-storey buildings,'' the written statement said.

''While the threat does not appear to be targeted at US interests,'' the state department said, ''American citizens resident in South India as well as American citizens travelling in that region should be alert to the potential for violence and civil disorder on and around December 6. Americans should avoid mass gatherings at that time.''

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Director General of Police F C Sharma assured foreign diplomatic missions of tight security.

He said 13 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force and four companies of the Rapid Action Force would be deployed to assist the state police. Bomb disposal squads and sniffer dogs would be deployed at railway stations.

He said 3000 police personnel, including RAF men, would be deployed in the sensitive Coimbatore city and surrounding areas.

Till Friday, 1,616 preventive arrests had been made throughout the state, he added.

UNI

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