Al-Qaida may target Goa: State govt

PANAJI: International terror network al-Qaida would target certain installations in tourist hotspot Goa, warns a Goa cabinet note circulated to minister here.
"Today, Goa faces serious threat from terrorists and there were specific inputs that al-Qaida would target certain installations in Goa. Goa has a coastline of 105 km, major sea ports and beaches," the cabinet note signed by Chief Secretary J P Singh reads.

This is the first time that Goa government has admitted that the state was on the al-Qaida radar, something it had been publicly denying so far.

"Goa is declared as the permanent venue for IFFI. It has already added to the busy tourist calendar of the state, thereby putting massive stain on the police machinery. To handle such situations, an increase of reserve force is the need of the hour to ensure effective patrolling," the note adds.

A Kashmiri youth Tarique Batloo was arrested with explosives at South Goa's Margao railway station in 2006. The police investigations had revealed that Batloo's connection with militant outfit Tehrik-Ul-Mujahid.

However, Batloo was acquitted in 2008 by a Goa court as police failed to establish offence against him.

The state cabinet, which had met on December 2, discussed the need to have an additional India Reserve Battalion (IRB), an armed police force.