New Delhi: The Centre swung into action on Thursday, ordering an immediate nationwide alert as top Al Qaeda commander Al Zawahari released a video announcing the formation of a specialised unit targeting India and other countries in the subcontinent.
Within hours of the video’s release on Thursday morning, the Central intelligence agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing, confirmed in a report to national security adviser Ajit Doval that the video appeared to be genuine.
Read: NSA sounds nationwide alert after Al Qaeda video
The agencies, in their situation report to the NSA, added that the “threat from Al Qaeda to India was very real and imminent”. Top government sources said the NSA in turn gave a detailed briefing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Rajnath Singh, after which Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau units in all states, as well as special branch, special cell, anti-terrorist squad were put on high alert.
