Gunmen attack tourists days before games

Two gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on a group of tourists near one of India's biggest mosques yesterday, injuring two Taiwanese and raising concerns about security fewer than two weeks before the Commonwealth Games in India.

The gunmen shot randomly at the tourists as they were about to board a bus parked near the Jama Masjid mosque, said police spokesman Rajan Bhagat.

The 17th century mosque is a popular tourist destination in the heart of the city. Police launched a massive search for the gunmen and issued a security alert across the Indian capital.

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Hours later, the BBC's Hindi language service said it received an email purportedly from the Indian Mujahideen, an Islamic militant group, threatening to attack the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

It said: "We know preparations for the games are at their peak. Beware, we too are preparing in full swing for a great surprise."

Karnail Singh, a joint commissioner of police, said: "We are investigating the attack on the tourists from all angles."

Officials quickly tried to reassure athletes and the public that security in the city was at an unprecedented high.

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Thousands of athletes from the Commonwealth are to compete in the games, which are held every four years.

New Delhi's top elected official, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, appealed for calm, declaring the city was safe to host the games between October 3-14 in which 71 teams are to take part.

"Please do not panic. An incident like this is something worrying, but nothing to panic about," said Dikshit.

The secretary-general of the games organising committee, Lalit Bhanot, said the shooting would have "no impact" on the event.

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Indian authorities "have made elaborate arrangements to provide the Commonwealth Games athletes and officials a safe and secure environment," Bhanot said in a statement.

One of the two injured Taiwanese men was operated on for a stomach wound in hospital. All the injured were said to be in a stable condition.

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