CHENNAI: Central and State Intelligence agencies are putting on a "we knew this was coming" look in the wake of the Bangalore Indian Institute of Science (IISc) attack.

Though confirmation is awaited from Karnataka on whether it was a terrorist operation, a State-wide alert has been sounded in Tamil Nadu; extended, rather, because security agencies were already on high alert for a possible visit by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. Though the visit is off, security has been tightened.

Police sources say for at least three months, Intelligence agencies were pointing to the presence of terrorists in Bangalore. The presumption was they could target the IT sector. How seriously the Karnataka police took the threat is not known, but the police here are hardly surprised.

"The Indian Institute of Science or any other institution is a soft target. It may be wrong to look for reasons as to why Prof. M.C. Puri was shot, or the IISc was chosen as the location. It was clearly a strike to create terror. The police have to uncover the network. Only then can neighbouring States benefit from the episode and plan action against terrorists," says a senior police officer here.

Convenient shelter

As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, security and Intelligence agencies feel that the Dharmapuri-Krishnagiri-Vellore region provides a "very convenient tri-junction" linking the State with Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The "Veerappan jungles" offer a convenient shelter to terrorists, providing a corridor connecting Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

As such, it is quite easy for any terrorist or group to move about freely in all the four southern States. They have the luxury of moving by road or rail. Air links are also there but, perhaps, more risky. It is difficult to monitor the long and porous borders of the States.

Police sources note Tamil Nadu faces an additional threat from across the sea — northeastern Sri Lanka. On one side, naxalites from Andhra Pradesh could be seeking temporary shelter here to get away from the heat there. Now the Islamic terrorists could be moving away from Karnataka and might have links with some fundamentalist groups here. With violence in northern and eastern Sri Lanka erupting every day, the authorities in southern Tamil Nadu are worried about the resumption of refugee traffic from the island.

"Till now, it is the Sri Lankan Army that has been at the receiving end of the violence. But some of the political parties and Tamil nationalist forces here have started whipping up chauvinistic sentiments. With elections approaching and Sri Lanka again in turmoil, there is a distinct possibility of the Tamils issue surfacing all over again and political parties vying with each other to extend moral and political support to the Sri Lankan Tamils. And we know that this means the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam," says an Intelligence official.

Only this time round, some of the parties openly supporting the Tamil Tigers form part of the ruling coalition at the Centre. He feels it is up to the Centre, especially the External Affairs and Home Ministries, to take a call on the issue before "infiltration" begins.

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