NEW DELHI, Oct 3: India sounded an alert on Wednesday against possible terror attacks at religious sites and warned that militants could fund their attacks with counterfeit money.

The warning kicked off a national meeting of Indian security chiefs who were slated to also discuss ways to stop extremist groups using the country’s fast-rising domestic stock market to fund terrorist attacks, officials said.

Heads of federal intelligence agencies, state police chiefs and special agents from government units attended the brain-storming session where Home Minister Shivraj Patil warned of extremist violence.

“They (extremists) are likely to create mischief and violence at places where innocent people congregate in large numbers,” Patil said at the start of the three-day meeting.

“Religious places can be attacked, police may become their targets, politicians may also be targeted and fake currency notes may be used to fund terrorism,” said Patil, in charge of India’s internal security.

His statements came a month after India’s spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing or RAW, told the nation’s markets watchdog that extremists linked to the Al Qaeda terror network might be putting money into India’s bull market.

Officials attending the conference said the issue will figure in discussions behind closed doors at the fortified venue, guarded by heavily-armed commandos.

“It is not only RAW but various agencies chasing ‘ghost’ investors in stocks have given us similar warnings,” a top intelligence official said.

Patil warned that terror attacks, such as two separate bombings in India’s emerging software hub of Hyderabad city since August that left a total of 53 people dead, could affect foreign investment.

“Large volumes of funds are invested in development activities in India but without a sense of security prevailing in the states, investment is not going to be done in any part of our country,” Patil said.—AFP