No information on Yasin Bhatkal's terror activities in Vasco: Manohar Parrikar

PANAJI: Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today said in the Assembly that he had no information about Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal's involvement in terror activities in Vasco.

Parrikar claimed that media reports which stated that Bhatkal recruited youth from Vasco for terror activities were "speculative".

"I have checked reports about missing youths from Vasco town. They have either migrated to some other place in the state or left for their native places. There is hardly any Goan who went missing," he told the Assembly.

However, he said that Bhatkal's stay in a house at Anjuna has been confirmed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which brought the terror suspect along with one associate Asadulla Akhtar to Goa on September 15, for investigations.

"The NIA team left Goa on November 16 and they have no details regarding Bhatkal's visit to Vasco," he said, responding to a 'Calling Attention Motion' moved by BJP legislator Vishnu Surya Wagh.

The NIA had seized one motorcycle, picric acid, nitric acid and toluene from the house where Bhatkal stayed from November 2011 to February 2012, he said, adding that in the light of these inputs, the Goa police has been sensitised.

"Extensive tenant verification has been initiated. All residents of Goa have also been requested to be careful in letting out their premises on rent and get tenants' credentials verified," he said.