Agencies were on the lookout for more Headleys

Warnings were issued to airport authorities against foreign nationals

Warnings were issued to airport authorities against foreign nationals

After David Coleman Headley, another US national Winston Marshal Carmichael is under the scanner for allegedly plotting terror activities against India.

Intelligence agencies had issued an informal alert to all airports to be careful of fair-skinned passengers who have converted to Islam

Even though intelligence agencies denied to have tipped off the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) about Carmichael's suspected terror links, sources informed a warning was issued to airports, guarded by the CISF, just after Headley was arrested for his suspected role in the Mumbai terror attacks in the United States last year. Carmichael, a convert from Christianity to Islam, was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on Wednesday after a knife was found in his hand baggage. During interrogation,u00a0 Carmichael couldn't provide a substantial reason for his visit to India, and was travelling on a fake passport, said sources.

"Headley's arrest was a big shock for Indian security agencies. So far there was a belief that people from Western countries and the Christian world cannot be involved in terror plots. Post Headley, an alert was issued to be stringent towards people of all nationality, specially fair-skinned ones who have converted to Islam," said a senior Intelligence Bureau (IB) official, wishing anonymity.

He added specific alerts were issued to airports with flights to the Middle East and Arabic countries.

David Headley was an American national working for Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba. Just like Carmichael, he too, had converted to Islam and frequented India, Pakistan and Arab nations. "Headley managed to evade intelligence agencies for more than a year and his US nationality and fair skin was an additional advantage," said the officer.

While the CISF also denied having received any alert against Carmichael, the agency is planning to inform airport staff about the new security orders. "We need to put out new bit of information that terror sympathisers can be from any country," said an officer from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), wishing anonymity.

Sources in intelligence agencies also informed about growing extremism in Western countries. "Terrorist groups have been trying to gather sympathisers from countries they are planning to target. There is a major shift in the way terrorist groups are operating today," said another intelligence official.