Several days ago, India’s Bureau of Civil Aviation (BCAS) warned all major airports in the country to be on high hijack alert. That alert has now been further elevated, with security being doubled at major airports. Indian intelligence agencies warn of attempts by Pakistani-based terrorists to garner the release of Mohammad Afzal Guru — sentenced to death for his role in a December 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament. In that attack, nine security personnel were killed as well as five terrorists; more than 22 were injured. On Friday, the Supreme Court upheld the convicted terrorist’s death sentence and counterterrorism authorities have since moved into highest gear.

The Indian government has a deadly history of negotiating with terrorists who hijack planes in order to gain prisoners’ release. In December of 1999, terrorists hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814. In that incident, three terrorists were released from Indian prisons in exchange for the lives of 155 passengers held hostage; one hostage had already been killed. In a tragic irony that should not go unnoticed, one of those terrorists released, Maulana Masood Azhar, is believed to have masterminded the very attack that Mohammad Afzal Guru has been sentenced to death for — and the reason for the recent hijacking alert.

This recent series of airport alerts are among several beginning last fall. The Economic Times (India Times) reports that in early November 2006, airports in the south were put on high alert after a note was discovered at one of the airports warning of Al-Qaeda’s plans to target airplanes. A few days later, India’s airports were again put on high alert after intelligence agencies received word from the FBI that Al-Qaeda could be targeting US-bound flights leaving the country.

From The Times of India and referring to the alert last November:

“Major airports in the country have been put on high security alert after the US intelligence agency FBI told Indian authorities that US-bound planes from India could be hijacked.

In a message, conveyed through diplomatic channels, FBI referred to an email originating from India and received in US on Saturday evening.”

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