Terrorists highly educated, says home secretary

Home Secretary R.K. Singh Monday said religious fundamentalism was a big threat to the nation and it was increasing among the educated section of society.

Addressing a national seminar on counter-terrorism at the National Security Guard's (NSG) Manesar base camp here, Singh said many terrorists were highly educated. He said local shelters of terrorists were a big concern for security forces.

He also said that vigilant media sometimes helps terrorists to carry out their plans. He blamed TV channels for live reporting of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Singh said there was a 20 percent growth in terrorist activities in the country and a 30 percent increase in terror-related fatal casualties. The ethnic population in the northeast was the main cause of terrorism in that region as each such group wanted power.

Addressing experts and top officials of paramilitary forces and the elite Black Cat commandos, Singh said our "neighbour country is the epicentre of terrorism and India is not so lucky as the US and Europeans countries" that do not have terror threats from their neighbours.

NSG's Director General Arvind Ranjan and former top cops of the force S. Subramaniam and R.K. Medhekar also spoke on the occasion.