Tamil daily threatened of 'Charlie Hebdo style' attack

Chennai: A Tamil newspaper has received a letter threatening an attack similar to the one on the office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, police said.

"We have received the letter from the newspaper and a probe is on," a senior police official said.

The letter, typed in English, says "Yesterday-Paris Charlie Hebdo, Tomorrow — Dinamalar." The words appear against the background of India's map.

The letter was sent through post by unidentified elements claiming to belong to an outfit called "The Base Moment," and said to be based at "3/10, Ukkadam, Kovai, Tamil Nadu, India."

Below the map is a picture of Osama Bin Laden and the words "By al-Qaida," and some Arabic words appearing like a signature, the police official said.

"It can be a fictitious outfit or someone may be trying to play mischief or it may have some other motive ... we do not know ... only after the probe's completion we will be able to comment," the official said, declining to elaborate.

Security personnel have been deployed at the office of the newspaper.