India Tightens Security at Major Airports

NEW DELHI, India, Dec. 4, 2008— -- Worried about a "9/11-style attack," India increased security at its airports today as the United States began an effort to convince Pakistan it needs to crack down on terrorist groups like the one believed responsible for the deaths of 171 people in Mumbai last week.

Indian intelligence and security officials tell ABC News they are worried terrorists may have infiltrated India either to attack airports or hijack planes to try and execute an act akin to Sept. 11.

Officials are concerned about a possible attack at the New Delhi airport terminal, while the threat to the Chennai and Bangalore airports is more based on fears of airliner hijacking. This comes just two days ahead of an anniversary of the controversial destruction of an Indian mosque.

Today's warnings come a day after thousands of protesters took to the streets across India accusing the government of not doing enough to prevent last week's devastating attacks.

While tension in India increased today, the top United States diplomat and military adviser shuttled between India's and Pakistan's capitals, assuaging Indian fears and pushing Pakistan's government and military to move toward eliminating the eastern Pakistan sanctuaries in which terrorists train, U.S. officials say.

President George W. Bush dispatched Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to present new intelligence to the Pakistani government that people inside Pakistan had plotted and executed the attack in Mumbai, U.S. officials say. Bush, they say, was personally very angry over the attack.

As she left Islamabad, Rice said today that she was pleased with the Pakistani response, and U.S. diplomats say that Pakistan is mostly striking the right tone in the early days after the attack.

"I have found a Pakistani government that is focused on the threat and understands its responsibilities to respond to terrorism and extremism," Rice told reporters.

Pakistan's President, Asif Ali Zardari, has expressed doubt about the nationality of the lone surviving gunmen, who police officials in Mumbai tell ABC News is Pakistani. On CNN's Larry King, Zardari also blamed the attack on "stateless actors who have been operating all throughout the region."