Indian islands home to jihadi outposts?

NEW DELHI, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The thousands of isolated islands in Indian waters may be used as bases for the terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, Indian officials said.

Rebels believed to be with the Pakistani-based LeT seized several high-profile buildings in Mumbai on Nov. 26, killing at least 188 people. LeT and its affiliate JeM attacked the Indian Parliament on Dec. 13, 2001, killing dozens in the raid.

The Indian Ministry of Home Affairs in 2006 outlined the security threat presented by the nearly 1,200 uninhabited islands, but no organization has been able to ascertain if the islands are free from terrorist bases, the Times of India said Thursday.

The LeT attackers are believed to have ferried to Mumbai onboard a hijacked fishing boat. The Times of India said it had obtained a letter from the Home Ministry stating security officials were aware that LeT and JeM were training militants in seaborne attacks.

There are hundreds of security outposts along the islands in Indian waters, and ministry officials said there are plans to deliver patrol vessels there by April 2009.