TRIVANDRUM, 28 October 2006 — Three people, including the owner of a cyber cafe, were detained for questioning in southern Indian Kerala state yesterday after several top government officials received e-mails threatening to kill Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“The message said there was an immediate threat to the life of the prime minister who is scheduled to visit Kerala on Nov. 1,” Kerala police chief Raman Srivastava said.
The e-mails, which were traced to a cyber cafe in the city of Cochin, contained references to Mohammed Afzal Guru, who is facing execution for involvement in a terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament in 2001.
The owner of the cyber cafe and two others had been detained for questioning, Srivastava said.
The police chief said serious note had been taken of the threat and the matter was under investigation. He said measures were being taken to tighten security for the prime minister’s visit.
“The message also hinted at threats to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s life,” Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said after a meeting of police and civil officials that reviewed the security situation.
“Such threats have become common. There was the letter bomb scare when the president visited here last month. It later turned out to be a hoax with no terror links,” the minister said adding the government was nevertheless ready to cope with any emergency.
The three people taken into custody had sent e-mails to more than 20 officers.
Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said he had spoken to the prime minister and he would be here as scheduled to inaugurate the golden jubilee celebrations of the state.
