Goa
alerted with Israel fearing terror attack
Sandesh Prabhudesai
17 December 2002
Goa
has beefed up security, in view of fears expressed
by Israel of a terror attack on a tourist state
during New Year's Eve celebrations.
"We do not perceive any such
threat, but we are prepared to face any exigency",
assured Karnal Singh, the DIG of Police.
While tourists from all over the
world have started arriving in the tiny coastal
state of India's western coast as the peak season
is arriving closer, a news report hitting here
from Jerusalem has created ripples.
The news report quotes Israel's
foreign ministry officials, stating that they
have already conveyed their concerns to the Israeli
embassy in New Delhi and the Israeli Consulate
in Mumbai, to convey the same to the relevant
authorities in India.
According to the report, the National
Security Council and the Counter Terrorism Headquarters
of Israel approached the foreign ministry after
making an assessment about the possibility of
a terror attack taking place on the beaches of
Goa during huge celebrations on the New Year's
Eve.
Though Israel General Consulate
in Delhi had informally contacted the Goa police
in this regard today morning, the state police
is still awaiting official intimation in this
regard from the union home ministry, through the
country's foreign affairs ministry.
The news report from Jerusalem however
states that Israel do not intend to contact the
Indian authorities officially in this regard.
"There is nothing official about sharing
this concern with the Indian authorities",
the report quotes the Israeli official.
"However, we have already contacted
the central intelligence agencies while our own
intelligence network has also been activated",
said Singh. Protective measures have been taken
at the airport as well as all the places where
foreigners are inhabiting, he adds.
The concern is expressed by Israel
in view of thousands of Israelis visiting Goa
during Christmas celebrations. Most of these Israelis
camp on the northern beaches of Goa, one of which
is even known as the Israeli Beach.
As per their estimate, about 25,000
Israelis visit India every year and Goa is one
of the most favoured destination for Israelis.
The "trance" music parties and "full
moon" parties are particularly famous with
Israelis.
A similar alarm was also raised
two months ago, following a bomb blast in Bali,
a tiny idyllic coastal tourist state in Indonesia
that had killed 181 innocents. The state police
had however stated that they had received no specific
information in this regard from the central intelligence
agencies.
Goa is a favourite destination for
millions of European tourists even otherwise while
the coastal state is presently overcrowded with
tourists. Police also do not deny that Goa is
considered a soft target.
Your
Comments Please
