September 05, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 04, 1429

RAWALPINDI, Sept 4: The government has warned that two suspected terrorists had left Dera Ismail Khan to carry out suicide attacks in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi, possibly targeting the UK visa application centres and the Australian high commission, Dawn has learnt.

Meanwhile, the British visa processing centres in Islamabad as well as in Karachi had been temporarily closed, a source said.A spokesperson for the British High Commission confirmed that a terror threat had been received by the visa processing centre in Islamabad, adding that it would reopen once the threat was over.

The source said that the visa processing centre had received a letter warning that it would be blown up between Sept 2 and 5.

Security agencies have been put on high alert in the light of intelligence that two suspected suicide bombers -- Mansoor Junior and Azam Sher -- had left Dera Ismail Khan to carry out suicide attacks, possibly at sensitive installations in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.

A report said the suspected suicide bombers were between the ages of 15 and 16, of average height and had a fair complexion.

In the wake of the intelligence, the inspectors general of Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi had been intimated about the terror threat and directed to take all possible security measures.

The number of security personnel in plainclothes has been raised and police patrolling has been increased around the UK visa application centre in G/9 sector of Islamabad.

The source said the Australian High Commission had received a similar threat.

Meanwhile, the chief security officer to the prime minister has asked security officials to scan cameras and other equipment carried by journalists during Yousuf Raza Gilani’s engagements.