Following the review of the threat perception faced by Advani, the IB recommended to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) that he should join the select list of politicians whose bullet-proof cars are fitted with a high-frequency jammer. Sources said the Home Minister, who has a ``Z plus'' security cover, had overtaken Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who for the past couple of years had been the country's most threatened political leader. The Pokharan-II blasts and Advani's subsequent statements have resulted in the increased threat perception.

A jammer is a powerful device which can effectively thwart attacks by remote controlled explosives and missiles. However, according to sources, the Home Minister has said a categoric ``no'' to the jammer, mainly because it is too conspicuous itextends almost 20 metres at the rear end of the car. Only three persons in the country Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, former Punjab Chief Minister SS Barnala and former youth Congress leader, Maninderjeet Singh Bitta have been provided with jammers. The IB wrote to the MHA earlier this week recommending that Advani be given a jammer ``immediately.'' The Government has also received reports from US intelligence stating that Advani is under serious threat.

The IB has stated that the Home Minister, like the Prime Minister, faced an increased threat from Muslim fundamentalists. The US inputs claimed they had ``specific'' information about a faction of the same Muslim fundamentalist outfit, which had caused the 1992 blasts at New York's World Trade Centre, was targeting Advani.