The security agencies in the Capital spent a sleepless Friday night after electronic surveillance intercepted a specific instruction from Pakistan-based Lashkar commanders to attack a crowded place in the city on Saturday.

The task was assigned to a Lashkar cell drawn from Kashmiri terrorists and the real-time threat led the Centre to put Delhi Police on a full scale alert. And even though the threat passed off, the intercept with its deadly intent has underlined the continued menace emanating from Lashkar.

Sources in the government said the intercept stood out because of the precise nature of the task. The assessment of Indian agencies about an impending attack was endorsed by western intelligence as well with US, UK and Australia renewing warnings to their nationals in India. In fact, US spoke clearly of an "imminent attack" by terrorists in Delhi.