Wednesday, September 6 2006 11:41 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: With intelligence warning further intensification of terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday (Sept 5,2006) sought closer cooperation between the Centre and states and asked Chief Ministers to personally monitor steps to improve intelligence generation and collection.

He also asked Chief Ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and North Eastern states to be specially sensitive to the nuances of each situation.

Addressing a conference of Chief Ministers on internal security here, Singh proposed constitution of Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) to be headed by Home Minister Shivraj Patil and includes select Chief Ministers of the state to closely monitor the spread of the Naxalite movement.

Referring to the inputs by intelligence agencies, he said, these warned of a further intensification of violent activities by externally-inspired and directed terrorist outfits in the country.

The agencies have spoken about the possibility of more 'fidayeen' attacks, use of suicide bombers, picking up economic and religious targets and vital installations including nuclear establishments and army camps, he said.

The Prime Minister said reports also suggested that "terrorist modules and sleeper cells exists in some of our urban areas, all of which highlight the seriousness of the threat." Regretting that terrorism has created a wrong impression of radicalisation of the entire Muslim community, he said the adverse consequences of the "prevailing insecurity" among minorities, especially Muslims, could be "extremely deleterious for our polity".

"The responsibility to ensure that this does not happen lies squarely upon all of us," he said.