The police have beefed up security around the high-security Arthur Road Prison where Qasab is kept in solitary confinement in an egg-shaped cell, as also in and around the Bombay High Court premises where Qasab would be taken daily from the prison during his appeal hearing.

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) which guard the airport have also beefed up the security at the airport to the maximum level. The new Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal, while confirming about the intelligence alert said that the CISF taking the alert very seriously has taken necessary steps from point of security.

Speaking to journalists in Mumbai on Friday, state Home Minister R.R. Patil also confirmed that the state Home Department and the Mumbai police had received the intelligence input from federal intelligence agencies about the terrorists’ plan to hijack planes. Underplaying the threat, Patil said, "There is nothing new in such intelligence alerts. We receive such alerts from time to time and take necessary deemed action."

A senior police official told Arab News that for Pakistani intelligence agency ISI and the terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) it is a matter of great concern if Qasab languishes in the Indian prison. Therefore, the terrorists from the LeT would make all efforts to free Qasab and for which they would hijack commercial aircraft from Mumbai airport, the official added.

Even though Qasab, the lone surviving terrorist was sentenced to death by Special Court Judge M.L. Tahilyani last month, it would still take a long time for his execution, said a prison official.

"His appeal in the Bombay High Court would continue for several months, may be a year, after which Qasab would file another appeal in the Supreme Court and he would finally file a mercy petition to the president of India.