MEA on threat to Air India flights: ‘Engaged with foreign governments on activities of terrorist elements’

New Delhi [India], November 9 (ANI): India said on Thursday that it has been engaged with foreign governments on the activities of radical and terrorist elements that have been inciting violence and intimidation and will take the necessary security measures against threats to Air India flights.
Answering queries during regular media briefing on terror threats to Air India, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India will continue to press foreign governments to deny space to extremist elements.
"We strongly condemn such terrorist threats... We have been engaged with foreign governments on the activities of radical and terrorist elements that have been inciting violence and intimidation... We will continue to press these governments to deny spacer to such extremist elements. We will definitely take the necessary security measures against that," he said.
The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has ordered extra security checks for Air India flights in Punjab and Delhi airports after a threat received from the outlawed separatist group Sikhs For Justice (SFJ).
The BCAS has asked for additional security checks for all Air India flights at airports in Punjab and the national capital.
"A 100 per cent SLPC (Secondary Ladder Point Check) for all Air India flights at IGI Airport and airports in Punjab, issue of Temporary Airport Entry Pass (TAEP), entry of visitors to the terminal building of the IGI (Indira Gandhi International) airport (in Delhi) and sale of visitors' entry tickets will be banned," the circular read.
The order was issued earlier this week and it has been implemented immediately.
Recently, the designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founder of the banned Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), released a new video asking Sikhs not to fly in Air India aircraft after November 19, as their lives can be under threat.
He claimed that Air India would not be allowed to operate on November 19.
The order said that in view of the continuous threat messages being shared by Central security agencies regarding threat to Civil Aviation installations all over India like airports, airstrips, airfields, air force stations, helipads, flying schools, aviation training institutes, it has been decided by the competent authority to extend the restrictions imposed.
A senior officer informed that a high-level of alert has been sounded in view of inputs received from intelligence agencies to step up security at airports.
Secondary Ladder Point Checking (SLPC) is a secondary-level security procedure mandated by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) under which the airline staff have to frisk passengers and their hand luggage after the security clearance from the CISF, just before boarding the aircraft. (ANI)