Tamil Nadu police chief K P Jain on Thursday said the terror threats to the state could well be carried out by elements from outside as happened in Ahmedabad [Images] and Delhi [Images] blasts while police were on the lookout for sleeper cells of the banned militant outfits.

"We know that it need not be from within the state but can come from outside as it has happened in many places. The threat may not be local and therefore could be mobile, and we are well aware of this," Jain told reporters here after chairing a coordination meeting of top officials.

In an apparent reference to the role of terrorists hailing from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh [Images] who allegedly wreaked havoc by way of various bomb blast incidents, the DGP said, "There may be some elements in Mumbai, Karnataka, there will be some elements in Ahmedabad. We are aware that these kinds of things happen."

Asked about the "alert", warning of attacks on temples, he said it was not "specific" and there was nothing to worry.

"First of all it is not specific alert. It is a very general kind of information," he said.

However, the police was keeping a close watch on some "fundamentals", such as certain elements closely associated with the banned SIMI [Images] or organisations "known for whipping up (communal) sentiments," he said but declined to elaborate.

Jain also said the police was not aware of any sleeper cells existing in the state.

On reported threats to Tamil daily 'Dinamalar' by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) for publishing a cartoon of Prophet Mohammad, which evoked angry reactions from Muslims, Jain said the issue had been settled locally with the daily tendering an apology, but "some people were trying to rise it again".