Israeli tourists urged to avoid Jewish sites, tourist spots in India

The Counter-Terrorism Bureau is recommending that Israeli tourists refrain from congregating at Jewish sites in India because terrorists may be planning attacks similar to those carried out in Mumbai on 26/11, with a focus on Israeli tourists.

On Sunday, the team of FBI agents heading the investigation into two Chicago men allegedly involved in planning last year’s attacks that killed 166 people, including the Chabad emissary to Mumbai and his wife, arrived in India for talks with security agencies there.

David Headley was arrested in October on charges that he was working for the Pakistani terror group Lashkar e-Taiba and was plotting a fresh series of attacks in India with a focus on synagogues and Chabad centers.

According to reports in the Indian press, the FBI team will share crucial data with Indian security forces regarding Headley’s plans. Israeli officials said Monday that there were in direct contact with the FBI and the Indian security services and were receiving regular updates regarding the investigation.

“The threat against Israelis is still real,” one official explained, referring to the travel advisory that the Israeli CBT issued in October, according to which the threat against Israelis was “concrete.” The advisory recommended that Israelis refrain from congregating in synagogues, Chabad centers and other popular tourist spots.

Meanwhile Monday, IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi continued his tour of India, where he met with his Indian counterpart, Gen. Deepak Kapoor.

Ashkenazi is also scheduled to hold talks with the Indian Navy chief, national security adviser and head of the air force. According to Indian media reports, one of the topics on Ashkenazi’s agenda is the possibility of holding joint Israeli-Indian counter-insurgency and counter-terror military exercises.