Goa escaped as RDX from Pak did not reach terrorists
Latest intelligence inputs warning of Bali-type terror bombings in Goa have prompted an alert in the popular tourist destination, chief minister Digamber Kamat disclosed in Panaji on Thursday.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI/PANAJI: Latest intelligence inputs warning of Bali-type terror bombings in Goa have prompted an alert in the popular tourist destination, chief minister Digamber Kamat disclosed in Panaji on Thursday.
The alert follows the confession by a suspected terrorist arrested by Karnataka police, regarding his plans to strike in Karnataka and Goa. The terrorist is said to have told the police that he could not carry out his plans of unleashing terror in the two states as he did not receive a consignment of around 50 kg of RDX from Pakistan.
“We have sounded an alert all over the state and security has been strengthened,” Mr Kamat told reporters.
He said the police department is carrying out checks to trace the possible terror links. Besides, the chief minister has chaired a meeting with home minister Ravi Naik and the police chief to discuss steps to heighten vigil and ensure security for both residents and tourists in Goa.
Mr Naik said according to intelligence received by the state, terrorists had a recce in Goa thrice, surveying the coastal and crowded places.
The state government has sought details of the interrogation of the suspected terrorist arrested in Karnataka.
However, highly-placed police sources said jihadis had the famous North Goa’s Calangute-Baga beach belt in their hit list. The sources also said a famous discotheque in the sea belt was a target.
Goa, a favourite tourist destination with foreigners, has been on the terror radar for some time now, with alerts being sounded in both 2005 and 2006 ahead of the tourist season. The threat of Bali-type bombings in Goa had loomed ahead of the tourist season in 2005 with the then state tourism minister Wilfred D’Souza going public on an “international intelligence agency” warning of a terrorist outfit’s plan to hit foreign tourists in the state.
A security alert was thereafter sounded in October 2006 following similar inputs of bars and discotheques frequented by US and British tourists being targeted on the lines of Bali bombings.
The threat primarily emanates from Lashker-e-Taiba, leading terror group active in the country. It has close networking with al-Qaeda. The latter had, through its affiliate Jemaah Islamiyah, carried out the Bali bombings in 2002 and 2005, which together killed 221 people. The aim in targeting Bali was also to hit foreign tourists, mainly Americans who are known to prefer Indonesian beaches as a holiday destination.
The alert follows the confession by a suspected terrorist arrested by Karnataka police, regarding his plans to strike in Karnataka and Goa. The terrorist is said to have told the police that he could not carry out his plans of unleashing terror in the two states as he did not receive a consignment of around 50 kg of RDX from Pakistan.
“We have sounded an alert all over the state and security has been strengthened,” Mr Kamat told reporters.
He said the police department is carrying out checks to trace the possible terror links. Besides, the chief minister has chaired a meeting with home minister Ravi Naik and the police chief to discuss steps to heighten vigil and ensure security for both residents and tourists in Goa.
Mr Naik said according to intelligence received by the state, terrorists had a recce in Goa thrice, surveying the coastal and crowded places.
The state government has sought details of the interrogation of the suspected terrorist arrested in Karnataka.
However, highly-placed police sources said jihadis had the famous North Goa’s Calangute-Baga beach belt in their hit list. The sources also said a famous discotheque in the sea belt was a target.
ADVERTISEMENT
Goa, a favourite tourist destination with foreigners, has been on the terror radar for some time now, with alerts being sounded in both 2005 and 2006 ahead of the tourist season. The threat of Bali-type bombings in Goa had loomed ahead of the tourist season in 2005 with the then state tourism minister Wilfred D’Souza going public on an “international intelligence agency” warning of a terrorist outfit’s plan to hit foreign tourists in the state.
A security alert was thereafter sounded in October 2006 following similar inputs of bars and discotheques frequented by US and British tourists being targeted on the lines of Bali bombings.
The threat primarily emanates from Lashker-e-Taiba, leading terror group active in the country. It has close networking with al-Qaeda. The latter had, through its affiliate Jemaah Islamiyah, carried out the Bali bombings in 2002 and 2005, which together killed 221 people. The aim in targeting Bali was also to hit foreign tourists, mainly Americans who are known to prefer Indonesian beaches as a holiday destination.
Download
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
The Economic Times Business News App for the Latest News in Business, Sensex, Stock Market Updates & More.
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
