The Centre on Saturday asked the states to raise special forces to counter terrorism which is fast spreading its tentacles across the country.

Inaugurating a two-day meeting of the country's top police officers, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil [Images] said raising of the specialised force was the need of the hour.

Patil, however, ruled out any possibility of introducing any tougher law, like the repealed Prevention Of Terrorism [Images] Act, to deal with the menace.

The annual Directors General and Inspectors General of Police Conference, organised by the Intelligence Bureau, starting today, is being attended by the chiefs of police from all states and union territories, para-military forces and security agencies.

The meeting will try to work out a joint strategy on countering threats from militant and fundamentalist groups, officials said.

The police chiefs will discuss terror threats created by radical Hindu and Islamic groups, some of them having links with external forces and strengthening of intelligence gathering mechanism to check incidents like serial explosions, official sources said.

The alleged conspiracy by a saffron outfit in the Malegaon blast and the findings of the investigations are also likely to figure prominently in the conference, which will be addressed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] on Sunday.

Attacks on Christians and churches in Orissa, Karnataka and Kerala [Images] will also prominently figure during the deliberations.